Birds of a Feather PART III
by Clairavance
Summary: Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment/ Come little children, the time's come to play, here in my garden of shadows...
1. Bad Week

**A/N:**___All things good come in threes... triplets... three wishes... trilogies ;) The Forbidden Game trilogy is the best I've ever read and is owned by the marvellous LJ Smith, so it's unnecessary to say but I will anyway, all characters mentioned are copyright property of hers. Faye and Gahiji...well, you know the drill by now. _

_**--88—**_

_My day couldn't get any worse_, Faye thought begrudgingly as she tapped her fingers to the rhythm of the radio. She glimpsed her reflection in the rear view mirror and sighed. Sitting up in the seat, she listlessly attempted to fix the wild waves of deep mahogany on her head. After a second, she ceased the fussing and slouched back into the seat.

She looked tired. Faye knew that even if she faked a smile until her cheeks burned, nothing could mask the genuine fatigue lining her face. She just wanted to go home, crawl in bed, and sleep 'til kingdom come.

The sound of the school bell ringing echoed across the parking lot. Faye watched with weary dark eyes as the doors of hell burst open and spewed out an endless swarm of demon spawn. She let out a long steady breath as three crown devils made their way toward her.

It was a pain just to unlock the car doors, and Faye was momentarily tempted to leave the kids locked out. But that wouldn't be a good idea – they might scratch the paint in their frenzied attempt to get inside.

Faye flicked the automatic button. The definite sound of locks unlatched sounded through her ears like a gunshot, and she suppressed a groan of pain. She never had a hangover of this severity before, but she'd had a damn good reason for going overboard with the wine the night before.

Her dark thoughts faded into an all-consuming wave of irritation when the doors were yanked open. Two of the evil trio slid noisily into the backseat, and the leader slumped into the passenger seat beside her. None of them paid much heed to their inconsiderate actions, treading dirt into the carpet and pushing grimy backpacks onto the tanned leather seats. Faye gritted her teeth, and restrained herself from covering her ears when they slammed the doors shut.

The evil leader beside her rolled down his window and leaned his elbow outside, sharing witty remarks with passing allies, and aimed boisterous whistles and suggestive taunts at the innocent girls sauntering past.

Faye paused for a moment, watching his brothers in the backseat follow suit. She'd never thought it was possible for anyone to be so full of themselves. They practically oozed arrogance, and the heavy air of vanity was almost smothering. Hell, they made Teenage Tom look tame in comparison to them. Faye knew of only one person who could pull off being arrogant and proud without coming forth as vain, but he wasn't human.

Faye eyed the three blondes in the car with her, wondering how much worse the fifteen year olds were going to get. In the past five years, they've really turned the 'bad boy' thing up a few notches. And it wasn't just for show either. Faye knew they really were cold and malicious little beasts. The endless variety of merciless pranks they've pulled on her throughout the years were proof of that.

_Inconsiderate, spoilt, arrogant little gits_, Faye fumed as she shoved the key into the ignition. The engine came to life and purred idly under her control. She literally winced when the leader flicked the music up and thunder blasted through her head. Biting her tongue, Faye turned the volume down and put her foot down.

The purr turned into a roar, and with a shriek of rubber on tar, Faye pulled out of the busy parking lot. Students leapt out of her way, shouting at her recklessness. Then they were on the road and out of sight, before traffic could hold them up.

The boy beside her reached forward, purposely turning the volume up louder than he had before. Faye swore out loud as the music sent a sharp flash through her head, and instead of switching off the radio, she yanked it right out of its nook and threw it underneath her seat. Her ears were ringing painfully from the loud blast.

"What's with you?" the boy asked.

"Just _shut up_, Taylor." Faye said and turned to glare at him when she stopped at a red light.

"What did I do now?" Taylor sighed, giving her a smug look in return.

Faye ground her teeth when the light turned green a second later, and she brought the car back into motion. Why couldn't she have ended up with kids like Audrey and Michael's? They were funny, and smart, and a hell lot more controllable than these terrorists. Even Summer's toddler, with her round face and innocent blue eyes, was an angel compared to these kids.

Faye found herself regretting having turned down the offer to join her friends on their holiday venture. Dee had been touring Africa along with Zach for nearly half a year now, putting together a book on the diverse cultures that populated the continent. They were coming back soon – today or tomorrow, Faye couldn't remember exactly. They had invited all of them over for a two week holiday, to have the whole group reunited and come back to Vista Grande together. Everyone had gone. _Everyone_, except for Faye. She didn't object when Tom declared he was going without her, secretly hoping that Jenny would offer enough protection for him. Faye couldn't tolerate the idea of facing Julian again, even if it offended her friends.

But now, Faye began to wonder if declining a free holiday had been a mistake. She needed the break. She blinked hard when something hard pressed uncomfortably into her back.

"Sam, _stop_ kicking my seat." Faye turned abruptly and snarled at the boy behind her.

There was a moment of stunned silence before the kicking continued. Gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white, Faye chanted a familiar mantra through her mind. _I will not kill, I will not kill, I will not..._

Her mantra was disrupted by the sharp ring of her mobile. Faye snatched it off the dashboard and pressed it to her ear, eyes cautiously scanning the road around her as she slowed her speed down.

"Hello." Faye said into the phone.

"Hey. Where are you?" Tom's familiar voice slipped into her ear.

"With the kids. What do you want, Tom?" Faye asked bluntly. She didn't mean to be nasty, and she admitted it felt good to hear Tom's voice again. But her patience was running thin, and whatnot with what she'd had to deal with for the past week...

"I'm sorry, Faye. I know you don't like to be bothered when you're with them. I thought I'd just let you know... we're _all_ back home. Look, can you take lunch or something? Or should I invite Jenny and the others to dinner instead?" Tom asked, annoyance staining his voice.

"Jenny who?" Faye asked, frowning as she turned up the tree lined avenue.

Bed. Sleep. Bed. Sleep. That's all she wanted, she would die just to have that. Tom's words snapped her out of her reverie.

"Don't be stupid. Just because you're unhappy that he's no longer yours, it doesn't give you any right to be mean toward Jenny. I knew you were jealous! That's why you don't keep in touch with them, because you can't bear the idea of seeing them together..."

"Oh. _That _Jenny." Faye said quietly. Then her own temper flared up, and her words silenced Tom. "Don't dump your insecurities on me. There's no reason for you to doubt my faithfulness to you, and blaming your paranoia on me and Julian, is pathetic on a whole new level."

"You always keep things from me, Faye. How do you expect me to trust you, if you can't even trust me? What other reason can there possibly be for you to avoid them..." Tom said angrily.

"Did you call me to interrogate me, or is there a liable excuse behind this phone call, Tom?" Faye cut him off, squinting up at the modern two story house as she pulled into the driveway.

The kids leapt from the car and disappeared into the house, leaving Faye alone in privacy. She cut the engine, savouring the peaceful silence around her.

"We have to discuss this. Either we do it over the phone, just you and me... or we do it the hard way." Tom said coldly.

"How about we don't discuss this at all?" Faye said, relaxing into the seat. She gazed at the tall and thin dogwoods surrounding the front patio, the graceful and open, horizontal branches coated with small white blossoms.

"Have you always got to take the harder route?" Tom snapped, then simmered down. "Why don't you just tell me the truth? I can handle it, Faye. I know you're against Jenny, because of Julian."

Faye groaned at his words and ran a hand across her face. "Nothing I tell you will satisfy you." Her voice dripped with venom. "I'm not against _Jenny_, but if I was to stay in touch with her, it would be inevitable that I would have to face Julian. And that's something I'm really trying to avoid. Do you understand, Tom? No Jenny, no Julian. _Clear_?"

"But what I don't understand is _why_?"

"Why _what_?" Faye asked, exasperated.

"Why is it so hard for you to face him again? Is it because you can't bear to see him with Jenny?" Tom asked, the accusation clear in his words.

"Please, I'm not jealous that he's with Jenny. I'm _happy_ he's with her." Faye reflected quietly on the permanent sulking expression on that beautifully chiselled face, the longing visible in his entire graceful physique, and the misery in those deep glaciers of blue. Jenny had that power over him. His yearning for the girl had nearly pushed Faye to the brink of insanity. No, she was _very_ happy he'd finally gotten what he wanted.

"Why? You see, this is what I don't understand." Tom said, frustrated. "You say you're happy they are together, but then why do you avoid them? I mean... when was the last time you saw either of them? When was the last time you spoke to them?"

"Five years. Give or take." Faye said and leaned her head back. She gently rubbed her sleep. She really needed some decent rest.

"Look, Faye..." Tom's tone of voice softened. "I know you and Julian were together for a very long time. Jenny and I were together for a long time, too, and it _is_ hard to move on. You need to understand, that your feelings for each other won't go away completely. But you can't hang onto cut strings that will never mend again. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be to accept reality."

"The reality is way more complicated than that, Tom." Faye said curtly and opened her door. "And don't compare us to you and Jenny. It was nothing like that."

"Wasn't it? I don't know... Julian seems to know a lot about you." Tom said.

Faye gave a bitter laugh in response. "Julian knows everything about lots of things." She said.

"Yeah? Well. He told me how you would respond to some of the things I said." Tom sighed heavily. "And he was right on."

"Coincidence." Faye said, rolling her eyes.

"He said you would say that." Tom said quietly.

"And he's an asshole for telling you that." Faye gritted her teeth.

"And again, he was right." Tom sounded wounded.

"That's _it_! I'll see you tonight." Faye said.

Cutting off the call and shaking her head, Faye closed the car door behind her and faced the enormous house before her. Placing her hands on her hips, Faye gathered her wits about her and took on the challenge ahead of her. It was going to be a long afternoon.


	2. Home Sweet Home

**A/N: **_**The end result of writing while listening to Infected Mushroom.**_

_**I stumbled onto this quote:**_

_**All days are nights to see till I see thee,**_

_**And nights bright days when dreams do show me thee. – Shakespeare**_

_**Reminds me of a certain somebody. Bet you can guess who ;)**_

_**0088880000**_

It was good to be home. There was no denying the unspoken words hanging between the friends, seated on the plush couches in the luxurious living room. They were all relaxing with sodas and glasses of lemon juice. Jet lag had yet to make itself known in the adults, having already conquered the three little children asleep in the spare bedroom.

For the moment, the excitement of being back on familiar territory was keeping them all pumped and energetic. Africa had been beautiful, the people different, and the food exotic. It was slightly disorienting leaving mid-autumn one day, and stepping into early spring two days later. Still, the pleasant weather wrapped Jenny in fond childhood memories, and filled her with indescribable warmth.

A thick book sat on the coffee table. On the front cover was a beautiful photograph of a sphinx from Egypt. On the back cover was a photograph with the panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Point, the most southern point of the entire continent of Africa. It was a brilliant book, and Jenny had spent most of her time marvelling at the photographs on the trip back to California. And, she admitted, she envied her cousin and best friend for actually having been to these places. The little that Jenny got to see for herself had been enchanting, and she wished she could have experienced _more_.

"We should probably be getting home." Audrey said, giving Michael a light pat on his knee and looking at him expectantly.

"We'll go when the kids wake up." Michael said hopefully, running a hand across his shaved head.

"Can I get you guys anything?" Jenny asked. She didn't want them to leave just yet. If she had to be honest with herself, she didn't want them to ever leave the villa. She was paranoid that this would be the last time she would have all her friends gathered together, and she wanted to savour it for as long as she could.

"Another glass of soda, thanks," Michael said, ignoring the withering look Audrey sent him.

"Sure." Audrey said and pursed her lips in disdain.

Jenny got up, wiping her palms on the creamy sweatpants she'd worn on the plane trip. They were comfortable and kept her warm throughout the flight, but now she was more than eager to rip them off and leave them forgotten in the laundry for a while. She poured two glasses of soda as scraps of pleasant conversation floated to her ears from the living room. Dee mumbled something inaudible to Jenny's ears, Summer said something in response, and a chorus of genuine laughter erupted in the room. Jenny smiled to herself as she opened the fridge to put back the bottle of soda. If anyone was to ever ask her what the most beautiful sound in the world was, she would definitely say it was the sound of her friends having a good time.

Jenny returned to the living room and handed the drinks to Audrey and Michael. She stopped mid-stride when Zach spoke.

"Would you guys mind if we hogged your bathroom for a bit? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like a change of clothes." Zach said, looking at Jenny hopefully.

"Sure, go right ahead. You know where it is." Jenny said, slightly surprised.

Zach got up to leave just as the sound of a child's disoriented cry drifted from upstairs, and Summer rose to her feet.

"It never ends." Summer said with a sigh and followed Zach up the staircase.

"We've got work after the weekend." Michael muttered tiredly, exchanging looks with Tom.

"I'm not looking forward to it either," Tom said with a grimace. "But it shouldn't be that hard to get back in the swing of things. If Faye actually did what I asked, and kept the work flow coming."

Jenny chewed her lip for a moment, noting the grimness on the two men's faces. They were running a very well established company, developing and selling software, and the income it entailed made them rich. It was clear, however, that it wasn't a very desirable career. Jenny often listened to Audrey complaining about Michael's work lifestyle.

"I still think we should have put my brother in charge instead. He's got some experience with computer software and client liaison." Michael said flatly.

Tom clenched and unclenched his fists, giving Michael a sideways look. "Faye's not entirely incompetent either."

Sighing deeply, Jenny decided now would be as good a time as any other to speak up. She'd made herself a promise to make amends with Faye. The holiday would have been a dream if only Faye had joined them. Jenny had known how upset Tom was about Faye not coming with him. It was no secret that Tom blamed Julian; even though Faye hadn't offered any excuse or reason that referred to Julian in the slightest. There were negative vibes between him and Julian, and it was infuriating because Jenny knew she was no longer the cause of the friction between the two guys.

If she had been the cause, she would have been trying to patch things up and make everyone get along. But it was Faye who was causing the trouble indirectly, and the perception Jenny had of the other girl, told her that Faye wouldn't so much as lift a finger to set things right.

Which is why Jenny had taken it upon herself to give the other girl a boot up the rear; to spur Faye into doing _something_ to ease the awkward vibes between Tom and Julian.

"We should invite her over for lunch." Jenny suggested lightly, putting her glass down on the side table and folding her hands in her lap. Her pine green eyes brimmed with determination as she looked across at Tom.

Tom actually laughed. "Yeah. Sure, Jenny."

"It's not funny." Jenny said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm completely serious, Tom. Either you call her, or I do."

"Jenny," Tom shook his head. "She won't come over. You _know_ she won't."

"If she doesn't, you could always invite us over for dinner at your place. She lives with you, right? It's inevitable that she'll have to face us then." Jenny said. She paused when she felt Julian stiffen beside her.

"Nothing good can come of it, Jenny. You're trying to kick-start a dead horse here." Julian said gently, his voice a silky caress to her ears.

"Faye has been steering clear of you two for _years_. She's not going to change that just because you're being nice and inviting her to lunch, Jenny." Tom said, sharing an awkward glance with Julian.

"Well, somebody has to _try_. And seeing as no one else is volunteering, I might as well do it myself. This has gone on long enough. Do you know why she avoids us?" Jenny asked, looking at Julian. She didn't wait for an answer. "It's because I moved into the villa, when we just started out, isn't it? Faye didn't want me there, so she packed her things and left."

Julian's eyebrows arched in momentary surprise, before something like regret flashed through his mesmerising blue eyes. "_You _had nothing to do with her leaving, Jenny. Don't blame yourself for her stupidity."

"She settled herself down before I even got to the room. It's going to be a little while before the kids wake up properly." Summer reappeared and went to settle herself back on her seat. Audrey gave her a perfunctory nod of acknowledgement.

"How can you know for sure?" Jenny continued on, her eyes fixed on Julian. "I mean, can you read her mind? Do you know _why_ she left, if it wasn't because of me? I don't like the way things are, and I'm _going_ to fix it." Jenny said.

"Your intentions are good, but Faye's not very welcoming toward things like that. She's not accustomed to it." Julian explained briefly.

"So, she's like you used to be." Summer said.

All eyes swivelled to the blonde in the pale lime dress. Sharp china blue eyes looked back at them defensively.

"Summer." Jenny hissed, shaking her head.

"We agreed not to talk about the past. Remember?" Dee chided.

The sudden awkwardness in the room increased tenfold when Julian actually chuckled.

"Julian, it's not funny." Jenny said, giving him a withering look that silenced his laughter, but the smirk on his face didn't dissipate.

"Birds of a feather..." Julian snorted and shook his head at Jenny's expression. "All right, I'll stop. Still, it's not a very smart idea. It's more likely to get worse by trying to make amends."

"Then why don't _you_ do it? If you know her so well, why don't you take the first step to set aside your differences?" Jenny demanded.

"Set aside our differences?" Amusement played across Julian's features. "It's complicated, Jenny."

"Tom." Jenny turned to him, her voice firm. "Call her. Right now."

"Jenny..." Tom looked helpless, holding his hands out as if to block a blow from her.

"Tom, _phone_ her."

"It's pointless. I'm telling you. What do you want me to say to her anyway? If I tell her you're coming to dinner, she'll probably stay out all night to avoid coming home. If I don't tell her and she sees your car in the driveway, she'll still stay away from the house _and_ I'll get some verbal smashing from her tomorrow." Tom shook his head tiredly.

"Just ask her to tell you why she's avoiding us. And if she doesn't want to talk to you, then she'll just have to talk to us tonight." Jenny said flatly.

"It's a bad idea. I know how the conversation is going to go down." Julian said and blinked when Jenny hurled on him.

"Please, enlighten us." Jenny said.

Julian leaned back, studying her angry beauty. He sighed. "I know what you think it is, and it's not. Jealousy is not to blame for the... condition of our relationship. Faye and I have been together a very long time, so I know how upset she'll be if you tried to interrogate her about the whys and whats of the situation."

"I beg to differ." Audrey said. "Regardless of how well you know her, Julian, she's still a woman. And having become human, she's bound to feel some level of jealousy."

Julian stared at Audrey, a disconcerting expression on his face. After a moment's silence, his sculpted lips broke into a small grin. "Could you blame her?"

Jenny swatted him on the arm, frowning in disapproval. "Julian."

"Faye and I have never been romantically involved. I've never looked at her in that light, she's never looked at me that way, and neither of us ever will. Everything you think you know is wrong." Julian shrugged and gazed back at Jenny's softening features. His own smile softened, and he held her hand warmly in his own. Jenny's defences faltered. Julian nearly lost himself in those melting green eyes, his own affection reflected in their depths.

"Is it?" Tom broke into their moment, and Julian turned sharp blue eyes on the boy.

"The reality of Faye and myself is far too complicated to even begin to explain. Not that you'd get it, either way." Julian retorted.

"Right. So, might I suggest that maybe Faye won't see it the same way you do?" Tom said, hazel eyes sparking.

Julian arched one eyebrow indignantly, giving no acknowledgement to Tom's temper. "She will. I know Faye. Questioning her will be futile, and you'll only succeed in ticking her off."

"And to prove to you just how well I know her, you could go ahead and phone her. I guarantee she'll respond in a similar way that I did. If, as means of an example, she comes to hear that I predicted her responses in an indirect method, she might suggest it to be coincidence. This, of course, would be denial of reality." Julian said, deliberately provoking Tom's temper. "If you were to tell her I predicted that she would say _that_, she would most likely throw some insults my way. This would be recognizing reality. I could go on, but I'd prefer not to."

Jenny waved Julian silent and gave Tom an impatient look. "Tom. Please. Just invite her over, maybe she'll surprise us all and accept the offer. She's bound to be as fed up with the whole thing as we are. Maybe she's waiting for us to take the first step."

"All right." Tom heaved a sigh. "But don't get your hopes up, Jenny. You don't know Faye like I do." Tom sent a sharp, pointed look at Julian when he said the last words, but Julian responded with a look of pure indifference.

"I think it's a hopeless case, honestly." Michael said when Tom stood up and stepped into the next room for some moderate privacy. "That girl is very stubborn."

"Then again, so is Jenny." Dee pointed out.

"I will make things right, you know. I'll get Faye to talk." Jenny said.

"There's no doubt, Sunshine. If anyone can make something bad into something good, it's you. As an example," Dee motioned to Julian meaningfully, causing Jenny to break out into a somewhat lopsided smile. "But I think you've got your work cut out for you."

There was a nervous silence when Tom's voice rose a couple of vocal notches in the next room. From his tone of voice, it didn't sound like the conversation was going very well.

Zach appeared in the doorway, looking over his shoulder with a deep frown on his face. "Is he talking to Faye?" He mouthed to Jenny, who nodded in response.

His expression cleared and he shook his head sympathetically. "Are we heading out for lunch?"

Jenny listened to Tom's angry voice another moment before admitting defeat, for the moment. "Yeah. It seems that way."

When Tom came back, his face was slightly flushed and his hazel eyes dark. "She's at the Riley's place. She doesn't get off until six tonight, and I don't know if she's even coming home at all now. You're still welcome to come over for dinner. I think a good ol' pizza is in order, and the football game doesn't start until seven."

"I'll bring the booze." Zach offered.

"Good stuff," Tom managed a small smile. "Should we delay lunch until the kiddies wake up?"


	3. Lunch on the beach

Summer's prediction of the kids staying knocked out for long turned out to be inaccurate. Though still quite groggy, the kids showed to have far more energy than the group of adults put together possessed. One year old Samantha was playing in the sandpit along with another toddler, and Summer hovered over her to keep a close eye on them. Three year old Maxine was squealing in delight as Michael pushed her in a swing, and two year old Anthony was content sitting in Audrey's lap and slurping up a kiddie milkshake.  
Jenny recalled how excited they'd all been when Audrey announced she was pregnant with Maxine. There had been a long debate about what to name her – Jenny had gone through three thick books filled with thousands of baby names with her friend. It had been pointless, though, because Audrey didn't like any of the names and found flaws in each. It was Michael's father who eventually suggested the name, and although Michael wasn't fond of it, Audrey adored it.  
Watching the little girl now, with her rumpled dark hair and chestnut brown eyes, Jenny couldn't imagine any other name more fitting. She smiled faintly as the little girl cried out "higher, Daddy, higher!" Summer darted forward like a streak of lightning, catching Sammy's sand-filled hand before it could reach the little mouth. Sammy let out a startled cry, staring at the sand around her, before turning china blue eyes to her mother. She had inherited all her mother's genes appearance wise, from the dimples in her cheeks to the sun-kissed locks of hair. A mini-clone of Summer, as Tom had put it once. But that's where the similarities between mother and daughter ended. Jenny watched sympathetically as colour spread across the angelic little face, and the familiar voice of a tantrum made itself heard. Summer waved her hands desperately, frantically trying to distract the toddler with a plastic spade.  
"Oh, Anthony, my silly boy," Audrey yelped when the little one on her lap knocked over his drink. Chocolate milkshake spilled across the tabletop, leaking off the sides, and staining Audrey's grey designer bell-bottoms. Audrey held the child at arm's length, turning to call to Michael.  
"Hand him over," Dee said, chuckling lightly at Audrey's flustered expression.  
Audrey obliged without hesitation, nearly shoving the child into Dee's outstretched arms. She turned her attention to her pants, wiping the excess frothy milk off with a serviette and muttering under her breath about stains. After a moment of aggressively rubbing at it, Audrey heaved a sigh of defeat and signalled a nearby waiter to clean up the spillage.  
"Would you mind watching him for a minute?" Audrey asked, already rising to her feet, and hugging the chic denim baby bag to her. "Thanks!"  
They watched Audrey hastily strolling into the diner toward the ladies room. Dee shifted awkwardly when Anthony let out an upset wail, and she ruffled the dark blonde head. Breaking into a wild grin, Dee turned the toddler around to face her.  
"Come on, squirt. Let's go see what Sammy is up to." Dee placed the toddler carefully on his feet, and taking his chubby little hand securely, she slowly led the way toward the sandpit.  
Jenny stretched her legs in front of her as she watched them. It was a beautiful day – the sky a clear blue, the sun not too hot, and the silver beach packed. Eager seagulls shrieked and stalked closer to unsuspecting tourists, hoping for a scrap of food. The pacific twinkled an inviting cool blue, and surfers were out in the water waiting to catch some waves. Jenny watched the children playing in the park, shaded by a large oak tree with sprawling thick branches, new leaves rustling in the pleasant breeze. The scenery gave her a cotton candy sort of feeling, and reminded her of cherished memories. She and her younger brother, Joey, used to play on that same jungle gym when they were younger, while their parents enjoyed a quiet drink together at the diner. Just like what Jenny herself was doing at that moment. And there it was again – that nearly painful pang in her chest, the feeling that she could only describe as an inexplicable longing.  
The feeling only started after Jenny sat through Summer's labour twelve months ago. They'd been on the road, returning from their visit to Summer's grandparents on the inland vineyards. One moment they'd been laughing and singing together with golden oldies playing over the radio; the next Summer was nearly hyperventilating and crying hysterically. Jenny hadn't realized Summer was in labour, until she noted that Summer's water had broken. Jenny had remained calm on the outside, encouraging her friend to do the breathing exercises they'd practiced long before. On the inside, Jenny had been just as hysterical as Summer. They were on a road literally in the middle of nowhere, with no nearby help, and it was only the two of them. Every time Summer would shriek 'it's coming', Jenny told herself that Summer was in distress and overreacting. She'd been at the hospital when Audrey had given birth, and neither labour had been less than seven hours. Jenny had hoped Summer's would be the same, but labour had been swift and unexpected. She'd had to pull over onto the side of the road, and had helped Summer through it by following the patient instructions over the phone after she'd dialled for an ambulance. Sammy was born a good five minutes before the ambulance arrived with flashing lights and hollering siren.  


It was one of the most traumatic experiences Jenny ever had. She'd managed not to faint at the sight of all the blood, but once Summer was safely loaded into the ambulance, Jenny had run to the side of the road and gagged. The graphics had been far too much for her to cope with. Yet, when Jenny went to see Summer in the hospital half an hour later, there was no trace of excruciating pain on her doll face and no terror in those blue eyes. Instead, Summer radiated a warm glow of bliss, her eyes filled with a tenderness as she cradled the little bundle to her chest. Jenny had nervously accepted the little bundle into her arms, after Summer insisted she held the baby. It was at that moment, that the pang of longing had made its presence known.  
Over time it had grown in intensity, but recently another emotion had welded itself to the longing. An emotion somewhere between fear and excitement, and a definite sense of expectation.  
Tom's phone sounded up, and after exchanging a few words with the person on the other line, he rose to his feet. "I'm off. Business beckons. I'll see you guys tonight, right?"  
Jenny nodded. Zach rose to his feet. "Mind dropping me off at my place?"  
"Sure," Tom shrugged. "It's along the way, right?" Zach nodded, and Tom turned toward the park. Putting his fingers to his lips, he gave an ear-splitting whistle. Ignoring the startled and annoyed looks strangers sent his way, Tom gave a brief wave to their friends as they shouted their response.  
"You're going already?" Dee called, shaking her head. "See you tonight!"  
Michael and Summer echoed her farewell. Maxine adjusted the Vista Grande College cap that she'd snatched off Julian earlier, and waved fiercely at Tom, eager to have her father's attention focussed back on her.  
"Tell Aud we say bye," Zach said to them. Jenny watched her cousin and Tom walk away, feeling somewhat relieved at their departure. The air untangled itself from the current of testosterone tension, and Jenny felt like she could breathe again. It was ridiculous and unhealthy that she always mentally braced herself and anticipated a brawl to break out between them and Julian.  
"Another cup of lemon tea," Julian said to a waiter who had scuttled closer.  
Jenny turned to look at him, a disconcerted smile on her lips. It was unnerving how he knew what she wanted, before she could as much as think of asking for it. She'd contemplated the idea of Julian being able to read her mind time and time again, even though she knew it wasn't possible. He wasn't a creature of the darkness anymore, he had no magical powers, and by all costs he steered clear of anything that reminded him of his past.  
Still, Jenny mused, despite there being no trace of the malicious person he used to be, and living a relatively normal life like any other human being, Julian's unearthly beauty hadn't faded one bit. His features were still as dazzling and flawless as it had been that day in the More Games store, and looking at him now sent a shockwave of sweetness through her.  
He looked every bit like a prince from a fairytale, if somewhat more modern, and without the intimidating title 'of shadows' latched onto it. He was wearing a plain white shirt, which paled in comparison to the brilliant shock of white hair on his head; baggy jeans, and flip-flops on his feet. His face was partially masked by a pair of slick black designer sunglasses – it was one of the accessories Julian never went without. He claimed his eyes were too sensitive to the sharp rays of the sun, but Jenny knew better. He hid his eyes for the same reason he tried to conceal his hair – because the vibrant and mesmerising colours attracted attention and made every head spin wherever he went.  
Not that Julian acknowledged any of the admiring stares; it was for Jenny's sake that he attempted to avoid the attention his appearance evoked. It made Jenny uncomfortable having girls far more beautiful than her staring at him, and some even attempted to openly flirt with him, regardless that Jenny was right there.  
Julian had told her once 'there have been many others before, more beautiful'. He'd told her that during one of the games ages ago, and even though he'd concluded that she was different from all the others there had ever been, Jenny had begun to feel daunted by the reality and honesty of it. His experience far exceeded hers, and it was now clear to her exactly _why_ he'd been so infuriated that she hadn't succumbed to him back then. Julian barely needed to glance at any woman to have them swooning and melting before him.  
Jenny ripped out of her reverie when a clean cup and a porcelain teapot were placed in front of her, steam curling from the spout. "Thank you," Jenny said with a sigh, straightening up as she poured the warm golden liquid into the cup.  
A chair scraped across concrete, and Jenny looked up at Audrey.  
"Where did the others go?" Audrey asked, a perfectly manicured hand resting on the back of the chair.  
"I think Tom has to go into work, and Zach went to his studio." Jenny said, emptying a packet of sugar into her cup.  
"Oh. Well, we might as well get a move on. I've got lots of unpacking to do, and a load of laundry to 

tackle. Catching some shut eye isn't a bad proposition either." Audrey said and offered a warm smile, giving Jenny's shoulder a squeeze. "If I don't see you tonight, we'll catch up after the weekend."  
"I'll give you a call in the morning," Jenny said, managing a wistful smile.  
Audrey gathered up her family, rapping out curt orders that offered no tolerance for disobedience. Maxine pouted stubbornly as she was sent toward their table. Taking off the cap, she sent a withering look over her shoulder when Audrey called a warning of punishment if she put up a fuss.  
"I wanted to keep it, but Mom says Aunty Jenny will be upset if I do," Maxine mumbled grumpily, lifting the cap with her small hands.  
Julian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and lowered his head. Maxine fixed the cap back onto his head, and folded her arms across her chest when she was satisfied. "There."  
Julian looked at her, and tilted the sunglasses slightly down the smooth bridge of his nose. Brilliant eyes like dancing blue flames darted to the two approaching parents, before meeting the innocent doe eyes staring back at him. His lip twitched into a mischievous grin.  
"You'll see me again soon, Maxi," Julian said in a lowered voice, and the little girl's face lighted up instantly. "And don't be naughty." He gave her a wink, and flicking the sunglasses back into place, he straightened up as Audrey and Michael stopped by the table.  
"Good luck tonight, you guys. If that girl even shows up, which is highly unlikely." Audrey said as she collected their personal items on the table.  
"I'll be there, so I guess I'll see you guys tonight." Michael added, bouncing Anthony on his hip.  
"Go safe," Jenny said, smiling warmly after Maxine gave her a brief hug and radiant smile.  
"Always," Michael responded, but Audrey paused momentarily.  
"You take care, too," Audrey said, looking at Julian. The unspoken words hung in the air, but Jenny knew what they were. _Take care of Jenny._  
She waved as they walked away and disappeared from view around the corner of the diner. Jenny turned back to her tea, stirring it distractedly with a silver spoon. She finally glanced across at Julian. His arms were folded behind his head, his face tilted up, legs folded in a casual manner and chair tipped back slightly. By the steady rise and fall of his chest, Jenny would have thought he'd fallen asleep.  
"You're awfully quiet lately," Jenny said lightly. She felt she had to say something, not that the silence between them was awkward; it was a companionable silence. Still, Jenny couldn't suppress the urge to attempt conversation. She needed to talk to distract herself from the crushing thoughts milling in her head.  
The only sign Julian gave that he'd heard her, was the ghost of a smile that spread over his lips.  
"Why aren't you talking to me? Is something wrong?" Jenny asked, frowning.  
"Of course not." Julian replied lazily.  
"What are you thinking about?" Jenny asked, and mentally bashed herself for asking a question she thought made her sound like a nagging wife.  
"You." Julian lowered the chair onto all fours, his face turned toward her and his smile gone.  
Jenny's heart did a summersault up her throat, her cheeks flushing involuntarily as she looked away shyly. The butterfly sensation in her stomach gave way to a churning knot of fear a minute later. She looked at him sharply. Her heart started racing in a different way than before when Julian continued to stare at her. She felt her eyes widen, and the blood drain from her face. What if he wasn't being charming? What if he really was thinking about her, and what if... what if he knew?  
Just as paranoia and anxiety were about to sink claws into her, Julian chuckled lightly and shook his head, turning to watch Summer and Dee struggle to pacify the toddler. This time it was Jenny who continued to stare. It was frustrating to try grasp onto Julian. After all these years, his personality was still as unpredictable as it had always been. Jenny would think she finally had him figured out, and then he'd throw an unexpected curveball, and again she'd be as lost as she'd been from the start. Predicting Julian's moods and personality was impossible; attempting to guess what he was thinking was ludicrous.  
"Sammy is being very difficult, and my parents have rung me three times already. They really want to see her, and I'm really happy to just hand her over to them and get some sleep." Summer said as she approached them, picking up her purse before taking the crying child from Dee. "I'll see you tonight, Jenny. Bye, Julian." Summer called hastily over her shoulder as she started toward the curb where a cab stood waiting.  
Jenny got up when Dee reached out her arms, and they shared a tight friendly hug. "You look good, Jenny. I'm glad you're happy. But look," Dee said, pulling away from the embrace and holding Jenny's gaze firmly. "You might want to rethink things about tonight. Julian knows better than any of us if fixing things with Faye will work or not." Dee held her hand up when Jenny started to protest. "Uh-uh. Listen, Sunshine. It's good and all that you want to play the peacemaker. But take into consideration 

how that will affect your current happiness. Faye might turn out a threat to your well being." Dee lowered her voice with the last words, then offered a tight smile. "Just think about it carefully."  
Dee cast a brief goodbye to Julian before following Summer. Jenny watched after her best friend.  
Faye might be a threat to her well being. To her happiness, Jenny thought Dee had meant. Was that why Julian was so adamant that things would only get worse? What if he avoided Faye, for the same reasons Jenny had tried to avoid Tom when he and Faye had gotten together in the beginning? What if Julian really did have feelings for Faye – feelings he might not even be aware of, or that he feels obliged to deny?  
Jenny wanted to pull her hair out her head in frustration. She couldn't think about it. She just couldn't. She needed to think about reality, about what was real and definite, and how she was going to approach Julian about it. The realization that she would have to unveil her secret to him soon, was a frightening prospect in itself. She couldn't even begin to think how he would respond to the news.  
Jenny finished her tea, her mind whirling with a hundred scenarios. She could cook up a meal fit for a king, with all seven courses, and a bottle of the best wine, but the thought of having to face food sent a wave of nausea through her. She could sponsor for a good comedy at the drive-thru and then tell him afterward, when he was in a good mood and while they were cosy in one another's arms. She was tempted to write a brief note with the simple truth on it, and taking refuge in her parents' house until Julian first convinced her family that he wasn't upset by it, but that was the cowards' way out.  
Jenny had even contemplated not telling him at all, and following the same route she had when she and Tom broke up. Sooner or later, Julian was going to notice and realize what was going on, and maybe in the absence of addressing the issue, he'll grow to accept it and approach her about it when he was ready.  
But Jenny knew this wasn't something as simple as a breakup. Julian had the right to know, and he had the honour to be the _first_ to know. This was a life-altering matter, and it would have an immense impact not only on him, but on their relationship as well. It was something they had to discuss before anyone else could know of it – and time was running out.  
"Let's take a walk," Julian's voice crashed through Jenny's inner turmoil. She wearily watched him pull out a wad of dollar bills from his wallet, and blinked in mild surprise at the empty cup she still held in her hands. She placed it down when Julian stood in front of her and offered his hand to her. After a heartbeat's hesitation, Jenny slid her hand into his.

**O0088800O**

**A/N:**_** No one is reviewing my stuff! That sucks :( Am I boring you to tears, or is it just so badly written that you can't be bothered to leave a review? **_insert disappointed face here_**  
Your review gets mine. And if that's not enough to motivate you, I'll even throw in some strawberry sundaes and Julian plushies! All comments are welcomed (just don't get mad if I respond to your flames ;)**_


	4. A moment in time

The sea breeze danced lightly through Jenny's hair and she savoured the familiarity of it. The sand was coarse and warm beneath her bare feet. The foaming waves rolling onto shore playfully teased around their ankles. Jenny sent a glance over her shoulder, noting the length of the beach they'd already walked. A couple of kids were flying a neon yellow and orange kite in the sky, and scarcely clad bronze bodies were scattered about on a multitude of beach towels.  
Neither of them had spoken a word, and although Julian was holding her hand throughout their walk, Jenny couldn't help but feel insecure. Her mind was swamped with worry about whether Julian would be receptive to the news, and doubt was gnawing at her about whether she was ready herself.  
Jenny risked a quick glance at him. The wind rippled through his shirt, pressing it tight against his physique. Her gaze followed the perfectly toned and defined muscles underneath. Heat rose to her cheeks when she realized she was staring, and Jenny tore her gaze away and focussed on the beach ahead of her instead. About a hundred yards away a large rock formation cut off the wilder and less visited stretch of beach on the other side. This would conclude their walk, Jenny knew.  
But as much as she knew she had to say it, the words stuck in her throat, and her lips refused to form the syllables. Her voice was non-existent, and only air passed through her lips.  
"I've been thinking," Julian broke the silence, and Jenny nearly collapsed in relief. "About tonight, Jenny. If you really want to make amends with Faye, you have my support. On one condition," Julian met her gaze sharply. "You're doing it for yourself."  
Jenny's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "For myself?"  
"Yes." Julian said. "If you want to kindle a friendship with Faye, feel free to do so. Above all else, she does make a worthy friend."  
"I don't get it," Jenny shook her head. "You speak so highly of her, but you don't want anything to do with her yourself."  
"It would benefit you to gain her as an ally, Jenny. Besides, she'll be more approachable... and civilised without me hanging around." Julian said.  
"Wait. Are you telling me you're not coming tonight?" Jenny asked, stunned.  
Julian responded with a look that answered her question. "You can't expect me too. I don't want to talk to Faye, and I'd be happy to never lay eyes on her again. Obviously, the feeling is mutual. There's nothing to be done about it, Jenny."  
"But..." Jenny trailed off weakly, staring back at him helplessly. "But, Julian..."  
"Jenny." Julian said, his voice edged with an uncharacteristic hint of annoyance.  
Jenny let out her breath and looked away. If Julian didn't want to physically be there, there was nothing she could do to force him. She'll just need to work on Faye first, and _then_ she'll devise some master plan to patch things up. If, Jenny considered, the truth behind Julian and Faye's apparent rivalry didn't destroy her in the process.  
"You've been meaning to talk to me," Julian said nonchalantly.  
Jenny stared back up at him. His face was a bland canvas without expression, and she knew he was giving her the opening she'd been waiting for. But with those mesmerising blue eyes on her, all words fled her mind. Jenny gazed back at him helplessly, captivated by his exotic beauty.  
"Any time now, Jenny." Julian made a slight gesture with his hand, indifference changing into expectation.  
Jenny didn't try to find her voice until it became clear Julian wasn't going to move unless she gave him a response. She chewed her lip nervously, and after a moment's hesitation, she disengaged her hand from his. She rubbed her hands together distractedly, avoiding his gaze by watching the bobbing heads out in the surf instead. The silence dragged out mercilessly.  
"All right, come on," Julian chided, taking her clasped hands and leading her toward the rock formation. He helped her onto it easily by using outcrops as stepping stones, and after seating himself Julian tugged her down in front of him.  
Jenny sat down on the smooth rock, feeling the warmth of it soak through her pants. She leaned back uncertainly, and rested her head against his chest. Julian shifted behind her, and a moment 

later his long legs straightened on either side of her. She didn't know how she was going to talk to him now. Jenny knew she had to face him when she broke the news. Now, how was she going to do this...  
Julian let out a deep sigh, his breath warm against her cheek. Her uncertainty and tension gradually faded when his long slender fingers expertly kneaded the tight knots in her shoulders, loosening the tense muscles. Jenny watched the waves crash into the edge of the formation a slight distance away from where they were seated upon the rock, sending white spray into the air after every collision.  
Jenny tried not to show too much disappointment when his fingers withdrew a little while later. She lifted her arms and draped them around Julian's shoulders, clasping her hands together behind his neck, and Jenny relaxed back against his chest. She tipped her head back to look up at him, finding to her startled surprise that looking at him at an angle only gave her a fresh view of his beauty. She closed her eyes and smiled when he kissed her softly on her forehead. With a content sigh, Jenny lowered her head and stared out at the ocean before them.  
If only they could stay like this forever, Jenny thought wistfully. She hated to think that she was going to be the one to disrupt the intimate moment. She had to tell him before they got up to leave here. But not right this moment. She'll tell him a little later, she just wanted to savour the memory for a few more minutes.  
Jenny's smile softened and deepened when Julian gently ran his hands along her arms. Smooth, loving strokes. Up, down. Up, down. Little tingly shocks followed in the wake of his touch, and Jenny lost herself in the sensation.  
Reality batted an eye through her dreamy state when Julian's hands slid down her arms one more time, and unwaveringly continued their downward course until his cool fingers came to rest on her abdomen. Her heart leapt into her throat and remained there, thudding sickeningly.  
His thumbs proceeded to caress the skin around her navel in small circles. He bent his head down a moment later, pressing his cheek against hers.  
Jenny turned her head to look at him uncertainly. It was obvious he knew. She didn't know _how_ he could possibly know, but he definitely knew. Julian met her gaze, his eyes blazing blue sapphires.  
Jenny waited anxiously for him to say something comforting, or to go into a fit demanding why she hadn't told him sooner. The tenderness in his expression was suddenly replaced with a mischievous boyish smile, and it only succeeded in unnerving Jenny.  
"How did you know?" Jenny asked, her voice breathless.  
"I know _you_, Jenny." Julian said, clearly amused by her obvious confusion.  
His reaction was bewildering, and Jenny decided to spare herself the headache of pondering about it. He must have known for some time to not be upset by it, long enough to have come to terms with it, Jenny thought. She suppressed the questions and doubts rising in her mind. It was done. Julian had figured it out somehow, and it saved her the awkwardness and fear of breaking the news to him.  
"We can discuss it on the walk back home," Julian said before Jenny could get another word out. "There's no rush."  
They sat like that, just holding each other, for what seemed to last forever. The wind whispered around them, and soothed their skin with a cooling caress against the baking warmth of the sun; and the roar of the waves was mesmerising. Turning to rest her cheek against Julian's chest, Jenny found familiar comfort in the rhythmic beat of his heart. Safe in the gentle embrace of his strong arms, Jenny closed her eyes and lost herself in the perfect harmony of the world around them.

**Ooo888ooO**

**A/N:**_** This chapter was planned to be Julian x Jenny only. I'm not very good at romantic scenes, which is why it's so short. With that said, if someone points out where I go wrong or where I can improve, the next one might be a bit longer. **__Hint-hint_.


	5. Secrets concealed

Faye rested her head in her hands as she meekly stared down at her feet. The shabby lounge was a mess with pillows torn to shreds and stuffing spread across the floor. Faye had almost thrown the cat out the front door, and vented herself out on the scoundrels who had taunted it with the pillows in the first place. There was an odd crack in the corner of the television screen where a heavy cricket ball had hit, even after Faye had ordered the boys three times not to play ball in the house. She'd heard them raiding the kitchen a few moments ago, but she couldn't force herself to go view the destruction they'd caused. She barely had enough energy to clean up the havoc in the lounge, as it were.

With a deep sigh, Faye leaned back into the couch and put her feet up on the coffee table. Folding her hands on her stomach, she closed her eyes. When Tom went on holiday and Faye was left by herself, she thought it was going to be wonderful. She was big on privacy, but Tom didn't appear to really grasp that concept. It was good to be free of him always tugging along with her, and free of his constant demands that she ought to spend every waking moment with him, watching some or the other sport that bored her to death. It was good to answer to no one but herself again, but Faye had known it would only be temporary. She'd much rather have a clingy Tom than be miserable and lonely – she'd had enough of that to last until she died.

Faye had savoured the opportunity to do things she wanted, things she knew Tom wouldn't be interested in. Window shopping, browsing through book stores, taking a dip in the pacific at noon and soaking up the sun until it set. Going to the cinemas and watching every romance and western she'd been dying to see, overindulging in malt drinks and cotton candy, and listening to her peculiar collection of music without anticipation of negative comments from Tom; it had been utter bliss.  
Until her past reared its ugly fart-face after the previous weekend. Faye shuddered at the recollection.

She'd been sitting in the small, landscaped garden above their penthouse, enjoying the warm spring breeze. She'd been stargazing through the telescope Tom had bought her the previous Christmas, so she hadn't realized someone was on the roof with her right away.  
"At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen." His voice had cut through her like a fiery sword, and Faye had stared blankly back at a boy clad in white. "What are they?"  
"What do you want?" Faye had rapped out sharply.  
The boy had simply repeated his riddle. Faye had recognized his malicious aura and immaculate beauty as that own to the shadow men, and her initial thought had been that he was an ignorant newbie out to taunt the wrong person.  
"The stars," Faye had answered flatly when the boy repeated himself a third time. She'd thought he was an imbecile, to be honest, so she let fly on her own riddle. "Each morning I appear to lie at your feet, all day I will follow no matter how fast you run. Yet I nearly perish in the midday sun. What are you?"  
She'd intended to intimidate him by making it clear that she wasn't unfamiliar with his kind, nor that she was going to succumb to whatever devious intentions he'd had. But when he looked at her with an unnerving and somewhat familiar smile, Faye realized who was behind the piercing golden pits.  
"A shadow," he'd said in a quiet voice.  
"What...why are you here?"  
"To claim."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"A life for a life."  
"Huh? You've got no claim over me or Julian. So get to the point of this honourable visit, you moron."  
"I'm waiting."  
"Waiting for me to push you off the roof?" Faye's patience had teetered on a thin thread.  
"I'm waiting for the child." He'd given her a dangerous look of infuriated impatience.  
"Have you gone senile?"  
"Keep up your cheekiness, Faye, and I'll make sure you have no role in the game."  
"Like I'd want to be part of any game."  
"You'll regret it greatly, I promise you." He'd glared at her. "And your shadow boy will resent you for your impudence."  
"What child are you waiting for?" Faye had sobered considerably.  
He'd given her a malevolent grin. "Don't be coy. You know what I'm talking about."  
"Suppose I do," Faye had played along. "What is it that you want with the kid, anyway?"  
"It will serve as the grand prize of the game. It all depends on what move your pawn is willing to make. I will win, either way."

"Mind filling in the blanks for me? What type of game?"  
"A _fun_ one," he'd given her a look of such contempt that Faye had cringed away from him.  
"Any chance that Julian will win this game?"  
The boy had burst out in cold laughter, and twirled about Faye as he'd shifted in and out of shadow form. "If you can guess the answer to this riddle, I'll let you in on a secret." He'd physically spun Faye in a circle to face him, his hands like cold steel on her bare skin. "The more you have of it, the less you see."  
Then he'd simply melted into the shadows and vanished. She didn't waste time before carving the rune of restraint on the front door – nothing of shadowy origins would be able to come harass her for a while. It was frightening enough that he'd been able to get into her home, much more so that he'd been able to touch her.

Faye had been sleepless since that night, her mind reeling with possible answers to the riddle, but none satisfied her as the correct one. She'd been fighting the impulse to summon Julian, just as she'd been fighting to figure out the stupid riddle. It wasn't for Julian's sake that she needed to get as much information as she could either; it was the fact that Gahiji mentioned a child as a prize that had set Faye off into an endless frenzy.

Disturbing visions of the shadow men sinking their teeth into pretty little Sammy, or ripping baby Anthony into pieces danced through her mind tirelessly. They were more likely to target Maxine, though. Faye knew the child absolutely adored Julian, and as far as she understood Julian liked the kid too. Faye was impressed that he liked her at all, since it wasn't in his nature to consider humans as anything more than prey. She'd thought he'd shut off toward everyone else except for Jenny.  
But Gahiji obviously knew Julian had grown accustomed to human civilization, enough to portray a slight interest without intention to a kid. Faye wondered again how long Gahiji had been watching Julian, and another unnerving thought tugged at the back of her mind. Why didn't Julian realize he was being stalked? He couldn't still be _that_ smitten by Jenny to turn a blind eye on his instincts.

And then there'd been the episode from last night that weighed heavily on Faye's shoulders. She'd gotten a flat tyre on her way home – an illusion, as it turned out in the end. The moment she'd gotten out the car, she'd somehow stepped straight into the shadow world. Faye still didn't know how it happened, or why it was even possible. She'd been back in the room where the first 'nightmare' Gahiji had shown her all those centuries ago played itself over like a broken record. Her father, cradling the limp, blood stained body of her mother in his arms, tears streaming down his face in endless regret and grief. Gahiji was nowhere to be seen, and with no windows or doors for her to escape through, Faye had seated herself upon the table where the slaughter had taken place.

The table itself had been sturdy, if somewhat lopsided and rough. The wood had been coated in crimson, some of it still fresh and liquid, the rest dried a dark wine red. She didn't cringe as it smudged across her pants, and she'd dipped a finger in the blood.

Faye had inspected the cold liquid on her fingertips, detached of all feeling when it came to this memory. She was still trying to make sense of how she'd gotten there in the first place, but she wouldn't allow Gahiji the satisfaction of seeing her confusion. It was then that her father noticed her, and he'd stared at her with wild eyes. He proceeded to speak to her in a language she knew had once been her native tongue, but memory had forgotten the familiar syllables and Faye returned him with a blank expression.

Her father had dropped the body with a dull thud as he'd risen to his feet abruptly, eyes fixed on Faye as he retreated back into the shadows of the room. A window appeared in one of the walls, sunlight slanting through it at odd angles. The blood in the room vanished, and bowls of clay and jugs of strained oils decorated the table. The white body on the floor disappeared, and a doorway materialized.

Faye was caught off guard when she found herself suddenly shrunken, seated on a stretch of sheepskin in the corner of the room. A fire was roaring in the stone alcove beside the window, warming the room considerably. The sweet scent of sour dough filled her nostrils, and for the first time, Faye felt a flicker of emotion stirring inside of her. She didn't like the game Gahiji was playing at.

A young woman stood by the table, kneading the dough with her small fists, humming a strange but familiar tune. She could have passed for a younger Faye, if not for the slight difference that her eyes were a soft green like sycamore leafs in direct sunlight.  
_You can't do this_, the thought had come from deep within Faye, from a source of intense desperation and indignant fury. It had given her the strength not to break down in tears right then and there. She'd known what Gahiji had resorted to then. It hadn't been enough to bring forth any weakness in Faye by simply letting her _watch_ her worst memory replayed before her eyes. This time, she was being forced to relive that moment, and it made her blood boil.

Her hands holding onto the bronze plate her mother had given to keep her occupied, belonged to a very young Faye. Her mind was not so far developed to think for itself, and the effort to get to her feet was immense as she tumbled right over. The landing was soft, if somewhat awkward, and she looked up when she heard her mother giggle softly. Her body was clumsy and chubby, and she wore a wrap of goat hide, common wear for infants, and it kept her pleasantly warm. She couldn't even walk yet, Faye realized. Was she _that_ little when it happened?

Her mother said something that Faye wished with her entire being she could understand. These were her mother's last words to her, and it infuriated Faye thus more that she'd forgotten her language. She'd been too young to understand or remember those words, but they were now clearly locked into her memory bank, even if it sounded like gibberish to her.  
Her mother broke into a warm smile as she gazed at her, and Faye felt it spread to her own lips. The sensation of warm safety and being loved unconditionally crashed in on itself when her father appeared in the doorway. Faye wanted to close her eyes and look away, to cover her ears and wait for it to be over. But her younger self hadn't looked away, or crawled to safety, because she hadn't understood what she'd been witnessing.

Her mother's smile faded as she looked at her father, a stony look on his withered face. Her mother stumbled away when he brought forth a knife made of sharp rock. Her hands flew to her chest in fright and her face turned ghastly pale as she stared back at him with wide eyes. Her lips parted, to scream for help, or beg for mercy, Faye would never know. Her father had strolled up to her mother within the time span of a breath, and the knife plunged brutally into the side of her long slender neck, severing vital veins. Blood gushed from the wound, and her mother's small and trembling hands pressed onto the wound in shock as she doubled over and leaned weakly across the table. The knife plunged a second time, this time stabbing into her back. Red drops sprayed from her pale pink lips, and by the faded light in those green eyes staring back at Faye, she knew it was over. Her father yanked the knife free, and simply turned and strolled from the room without looking back.

Faye's memory of the event ended here, but the traumatic part that her mind had suppressed, was now forced to reawaken as she watched her mother blindly grappling for something unseen on the table. Her mother dropped to the ground with a dull thud, her head making a sickening cracking sound as it hit the stone floor. Faye attempted to stand up again, fell, and crawled uncertainly toward the shaking body. She could feel the confusion in her younger version, but Faye was recoiling at the scene before her.  
_Stop it, stop it, stop it_, Faye pleaded in her mind. If she'd had a voice, if she'd been able to speak with her untrained infant tongue, she was certain she would be begging out loud. She couldn't do this – she didn't _want_ to do this. It was best left forgotten, buried in the ashes of the past.

She paused beside her mother, and sat down, watching. The only sound in the room was the horrid gurgling of her mother choking on her own blood. It wasn't long before the noise died down. Faye's infant body shifted onto her knees, and splashed little hands clumsily in the gathering pool of cold blood around her mother's head.  
_Please, stop this, please, please stop..._ From the corner of her eye, Faye saw her mother's body jerk in the aftermath of death. The foul stench of the body releasing its final hold on itself filled the room.  
Faye waited for Gahiji to appear and laugh at her. She was screaming and weeping inside as her toddler self splashed about in the drying blood. She touched her mother's exposed arm once, giving her a little pat as a physical communication that she wanted to play, and Faye noted her body was still warm. Her toddler self proceeded to play with the rich mahogany locks, now matted in places by spilled blood. It was then her father returned to the room, an elder woman wearing a dark violet cloak on his side. Her master, the one her father had given her to, the witch.

Faye innocently obeyed when the older woman kindly beckoned to her, old wrinkled hands taking hold of her own chubby little ones as she was gently hauled to her feet.  
The woman lengthened a bit, and Faye herself seemed to sprout taller as she was restored to her present self. The woman had disappeared, and instead it was Gahiji standing in front of her, hands still clasped around her own. There was a coldness in his eyes that left her breathless, and the grim expression on his face forced Faye to swallow the list of profanities she wanted to shout at him.  
"What point are you trying to make?" Faye asked, startled that her voice came out smooth and strong.  
Gahiji appeared just as surprised for a split second, before malicious anger swathed his features in shadow. "I'm not fooling around. You'd best take this game seriously, if you don't want your blood on Julian's hands, too."  
She'd blanked out painfully at his words, and when she'd come around, Faye found herself pulled onto the side of the motorway in her car.

It was obvious the rune she'd carved in the door was working, seeing as Gahiji was oblivious to exactly how seriously Faye considered this looming game to be, having sleepless nights and no appetite because of it. On her arrival home afterward, Faye had been too numb to cry. Instead she'd indulged herself in a couple of bottles of wine in an attempt to rid herself of the refreshed memory of her mother's murder. Which was why Faye had woken that very morning with immense regret for going overboard, and a piercing headache that made it near impossible to think straight.

Faye tightly pinched her eyes closed when she heard war cries from the brothers somewhere in the enormous house. Sam and Rob were still alright – it was Taylor who was the instigator of trouble.  
Again, Faye chided herself for becoming soft. When she was hired as an extra help for Mrs. Riley who had been recovering from surgery, Faye never expected the contract to last for more than a few months. Instead, Faye kindled a good friendship with Mrs Riley, and when their contract expired it was Mrs Riley who offered Faye double pay if she were to continue working with her.

Which Faye did, hence her still hanging around the rich palace of a house five years later. The money was good, the neighbourhood was lovely, and she had friends along that street as though she lived there herself. The only glitch were the boys; rotten, spoilt, arrogant little know-it-alls.  
Evil little brats that were, at that moment, causing chaos outside in the pool by the sounds of it. Faye released a heavy sigh when another haunting vision of her mother's pale face flashed through her head. She stood up abruptly, and distractedly tidied up the lounge as muffled sounds of splashing drifted from outside.

Faye studied the dented television screen for a long moment and lightly traced the fine cracks with a finger. A million different punishments she would have inflicted upon the boys rushed through her mind, but it wasn't her responsibility to discipline them. That duty fell upon Mrs Riley, whom Faye knew would say nothing of the damaged television. By next week it would simply be replaced by a newer, bigger, grander version.

An earth-shattering snap reverberated through the atmosphere. It was so abrupt and unexpected that Faye's body momentarily stalled, unable to reflexively duck. A second later, without mentally taking note of how she'd gotten there so fast, Faye stumbled onto the back veranda armed with a blunt cheese stained knife from the kitchen sink.

Sam was standing in the pool with his arms spread out on the surface of the water; his face as white as the fibreglass of the pool. Taylor was slowly rising to his feet from where he'd been lounging on a garden chair, his every move strained and slow from obvious fear. Rob was lying face down on the immaculate patch of green lawn; no movement came forth from his body.

Faye's gaze focussed on the slightly pudgy man hovering only a few feet from Rob's body. He was swaying lightly, and his dark eyes were wild and bloodshot. A lopsided grimace spread onto his wrinkled face, and he staggered a step back as he raised his hand. Sharp light glared off a silver pistol in his large hand. The sight of it blanked out all reason and caution, and Faye's thought process narrowed down to the insane desire for release. She had plenty of heat that had mounted inside of her all week; this guy just presented himself as a venting bag for her to utilize. Fury breathed through her body like a living beast, overwhelming all common sense, and directed her toward the armed mad man like she was merely a puppet on strings.

Her initial compulsion to go on blind instinct and stab him in the stomach dissipated when she was a few feet away from him. Instead, Faye swiped at the hand gripping the pistol. Another ear-splitting shot cracked through the air before the pistol dropped to the ground, the now detached hand still gripping it tightly.

A hysterical scream filled the air as the drunk blob before Faye crumpled to the grass. He writhed in agonized pain, tightly clutching the bleeding lump of flesh where a hand used to be. Faye dropped the knife and scooped the pistol up, shaking off the dead hand before firing several shots into the man's kneecaps. His screams intensified and became high pitched squeals. He proceeded to thrash about like a fish out of water. A minute later his eyes rolled in his head and his screams stopped. He was either comatose or dead, but more likely temporarily unconscious.

Faye unceremoniously dropped the pistol as she stared down at the still figure. Her anger retracted itself enough for her to finally recognize the ashen face of Mrs Riley's previous gardener. She vaguely recalled him being fired after the boys wreaked destruction through her prized gardens, and he unfairly got the blame and brunt for it.

Memory returned a second later, and Faye went to crouch at Rob's side with an insane placidness. She felt somewhat detached from the whole thing, nearly the same as when Gahiji had shown her the death scene of her mother as a nightmare. Only this was different; because this was real, Faye reasoned.  
"Robbie! Robin, can you hear me?" Faye said, gingerly shaking him by the shoulder. She couldn't see where he'd been shot, and she didn't want to make his injuries any worse.  
A muffled groan rose from the boy, and Faye helped turn him onto his back. Dazed ocean blue eyes blinked up at the sky, pain etched onto the youthful features. Faye noted the damage then, and felt her heart leap in relief. The bullet had merely skimmed past him, tearing off some skin on the side of his neck where blood still trickled from.  
_Good thing he was too wasted to get a good shot_, Faye thought as she turned to the other kids.  
"Taylor, call the police. Sam, bring me something to stop the bleeding," Faye rapped out orders.  
The two stunned brothers obeyed immediately. Faye turned back to Rob, who was propping himself up with his elbows and staring at the immobile body a few feet away. He blinked and frowned at Faye, before his eyes widened, and he went even paler than he'd been a moment before.  
"No, just stay still, Rob," Faye chided as he scrambled onto his knees.  
"Geeze, Faye! You got hit!" Rob's voice sounded odd, as though he was on the border of breaking into hysterics.  
"What?" Faye demanded with a deep frown. She sent a brief glance down at herself and did a double take. Wet crimson stained her purple blouse down the length of her stomach; blood gushed from a gory little hole right below her right ribcage. Faye lost her balance and fell back on her rump, blinking at the wound in dazed disbelief.

The next three hours flew by with an unreal aura; police pitched up as paramedics loaded Faye into the back of an ambulance along with Rob. All she recalled later about the drive to the hospital was how rude the paramedics had been, snapping at her in loud and almost angry voices that she must keep her eyes open, even though she'd been beyond temptation to do exactly the opposite. Their bold rudeness had cut through the sheet of shock and numbing pain, and it had barely kept her conscious.

Faye woke up half an hour later wearing a thin hospital robe, surrounded by three pale kids who informed her that she'd been into surgery to have the bullet removed, and the wound stitched up. Mrs Riley arrived shortly after, and Faye found herself answering repetitive questions from an outraged mother, inquisitive officers, and as she would discover the following day, curious journalists who had caught a whiff of the incident.  
The doctor prescribed her pain relief, and Faye was discharged from the hospital. Mrs Riley drove them back to the house, and Faye had a difficult time convincing Mr Riley that she was perfectly capable of driving herself home.

Faye's mind was slightly foggy as she waited for the security gate outside her home to glide open. She pulled the car into the garage, cut the engine, and rested her forehead lightly against the steering wheel. Drawing a deep, calming breath, Faye shrugged on her denim jacket and zipped it up.

She didn't want to face demanding questions from Tom – she was still somewhat ticked off that he'd had demanded she allow him to meddle in her past – and she didn't want to worry about him acting overprotective of her and forbidding her to continue working at the Riley's. Which, she reasoned, Tom would predictably do. Which in turn would lead to another battle of wants between them, and Faye admitted she honestly didn't have the strength for it. She'd rather knock him out cold and just go to work if it came down to it.  
Faye leaned back in the seat, and glimpsed in the rear view mirror a very gleeful Gahiji making a swooping, mocking bow toward her. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She didn't even want to think how it was possible that he was walking about in broad daylight. Faye sighed as she climbed from the car and slammed the door shut.

The sudden change in gravity sent a wave of dizziness over her, and Faye steadied herself against the car, resting her forehead against the cool glass. For a moment, she was tempted to call Tom on her mobile and ask him to come downstairs to fetch her; to fall into his arms and unload the baggage of the past week that had taken its toll on her. But that would be a stupid thing to do, Faye knew. Tom wouldn't be able to help her, so she would only be putting him at risk and upsetting him unnecessarily. Though, it would really be good to just get it all out.

_What a day_, Faye thought weakly. The tears that had evaded her the night before now came rushing from her in a riptide of bitter release.  
"Are you crying?"  
Faye recoiled in fright, staggering back a few steps as she stared at the person who had unexpectedly appeared. She blinked at the young woman standing before her; a good head taller than herself, slender, with dark blonde hair and an expression of surprise and concern on her face. It took Faye a moment to realize who she was staring at. Jenny Thornton hadn't changed all that much in appearance since she'd last seen her. Jenny... Faye's heart plunged to her feet with sickening speed as she glanced past the girl, scanning the apparently deserted parking lot.  
"Is he here?" Faye asked, cringing inwardly at the hoarseness of her voice.  
"Who?" Jenny looked genuinely baffled.  
"Don't be daft," Faye blinked, wondering for a moment if this was some nasty trick Gahiji was playing on her. She frowned. "Julian. Is he with you?"  
"Oh. No..." Faye didn't hear the rest of what Jenny said, because she was momentarily blinded by relief. If Julian had been there, he'd have known right away what was up. Faye could imagine the smug look on his face, and quite frankly she just wouldn't have had the energy to put him in place.  
"Just as well." Faye said as she dried her tears. "He wouldn't have made it through the front door anyway." Not unless she invited him in, Faye added to herself, otherwise the rune of restraint was sufficient enough to keep him blocked out of the penthouse.  
"Why were you crying? Was it that guy?" Jenny asked uneasily.  
Faye almost grimaced. It was demeaning that someone had actually seen her cry – the first time in ages she'd given in to the emotion as well. "I've just been having a bad day. Don't worry about it." Faye said a moment later, and shrugged as she changed the subject. "Did you just get here?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well, come on, then," Faye said as she closed the garage door behind them. She led the way to the elevators, and jabbed almost angrily at the round button with 15 engraved in it with golden strokes.  
Faye watched Jenny shift her weight from one foot to the other awkwardly.  
"What guy were you talking about, anyway?" Faye asked.  
"Oh, some security guard in the parking lot." Jenny said vaguely.  
"Security guard?" Faye repeated, and recalled the smirking face of Gahiji. She snorted and tiredly rubbed her sleep. "He didn't happen to have black hair and freaky eyes, did he?"  
"You _did_ see him then?" Jenny asked.  
Faye gave Jenny a sidelong glance, wondering if Gahiji had been tormenting the poor girl while she was in the parking lot. "Sure," Fay sighed deeply.  
"He's not really a security guard, is he?"  
"No. There aren't any security guards here." Faye folded her arms across her chest, flinching at the sharp pain the motion caused, but recovered just as quick to mask the pain. "Did he talk to you?"  
"Yes, he did. It was really weird, though. He said, ' the more you have of it, the less you see'."  
"What?" Faye snapped irritably. Another stab of pain made her involuntarily suck in a sharp breath, and she shook her head slowly before she glared up at the ceiling. "I hate him."  
"Who is he?" Jenny asked.

From the corner of her eye she noted Jenny putting a hand on her stomach, a gesture that appeared to be reflexive.  
"Just some loser with too much time on his hands, apparently. He won't touch you, though. He can't, unless you give him permission." Faye breathed out and massaged her temples lightly. "Don't mention him to the others, okay? They don't need to know. I'm sorry you had to be faced with that, Jenny."  
"What does he want?" Jenny asked quietly.  
"Same ol', same ol'." Faye gave her a dismissive wave. Jenny certainly didn't need to know, not yet anyway. "It's my problem, Jenny. Really, trust me when I say this, you'll be better off not interfering. And in future..." Faye cut off when the elevator bell dinged and the doors slid open.  
Faye led the way down the hallway to their door, fumbling with her keys for a moment.  
"You were saying?" Jenny asked.  
"In future, don't leave your bodyguard back home when you go out. He's pretty good protection, and heaven knows, you're going to need it... now that Gahiji has shown enough interest to converse with you." Faye said the last out loud, more to herself than to Jenny. She shouldered the heavy door open, gritting her teeth against the spheres of pain shooting through her.

Jenny seemed frozen in place, staring with eyes round as saucers at the wall of windows. Faye nudged her lightly out of the way, closed the door, and stepped into the kitchen. She gathered together cups and started to boil a pot of coffee, before she leaned over the breakfast nook to peer down toward the lounge. The penthouse was empty except for the two of them, and Faye sighed.  
Coffee later then.  
"I think they're out in the garden watching the sunset," Faye said, running her fingers through her hair.  
The blank look on Jenny's face was almost funny. "We've got a garden area on the roof. Just go through that door over there. I think I'm going to take a little nap, if you don't mind."  
Jenny shook her head in answer, and crossed the length of the penthouse to the door in the corner.  
Faye waited until she was through the door before grabbing a glass of water. She gulped down the directed dosage of pain killers the doctor had prescribed to her, and sauntered down the narrow hallway that led from the lounge to the bathroom and bedroom. Faye contemplated jumping in the shower, but she didn't want to risk passing out, and it would be a lengthy process to change the padding over the wound. Besides, Tom might catch her in the act and demand answers.

Faye dragged herself over to the bed and struggled to find a position comfortable enough. A moment later her eyelids fluttered closed and she was sucked into the soothing arms of deep and dreamless sleep.

**Ooo888ooO**

Familiar voices drifted to her ears in muffled notes. Faye barely glanced at the people seated in the lounge as she made her way to the kitchen. Another dose of pain killers was all she wanted. She thought she might get addicted to it; she hadn't had a good sleep like this for a long time, and Gahiji hadn't been able to pierce through the thick veil of drugs to haunt her dreams either. Or, if he did, she certainly wasn't aware of it.

"Hey." A voice greeted her through the haze, but Faye paid it no attention as she reached to open the cupboard. She really felt like some Oreos for some stupid reason. She knew they had, because she and Julian had been parked in front of the TV the night before, munching on a dozen packets of the stuff. She'd even gone and snatched some from the dairy when their stash ran out afterward. Faye stared blankly at the glasses. Where the hell were the Oreos? She was sure she packed them in this cupboard. A wave of irritation washed over her when she vaguely sighted movement from the corner of her eye, and she slammed the cupboard doors shut.

"Do you think that's funny? Moving my stuff? Do you?" Faye hissed without turning to look at the perpetrator. Heaven help her, she would choke him if she'd had the strength. "Don't touch my things, they're _mine_! You stupid, stupid damn parasite..." Faye trailed off as her mind slowly cleared. She yanked the cupboard open again and stared at the glasses. The glasses which she knew were supposed to be there. There still wasn't any Oreos, because they didn't have any Oreos; because she wasn't in the villa with Julian, she was in the penthouse with Tom. Faye let out a snort.  
"Well. That's settled then. You really are losing your mind, aren't you?" Faye mocked herself and faltered. "Maybe I should have taken Julian's advice. Damn him for always being right. Stupid boy."

She wanted to laugh at herself when she took a glass and put it down in front of her, scratching the back of her head. Stupid memory lapses. It must be the medication, Faye thought groggily. "The more you have of it, the less you see. The more you have of it, the less you see." Faye repeated the riddle out loud, pronouncing each word slowly as though it would give her the answer. She ran a hand across her face in frustration. "It's probably something so easy and obvious... damn it, I hate you, Gahiji."

"Faye, are you okay?" Summer's voice pierced through the trance-like condition Faye was in, and she turned to stare at her and Jenny. It took her a second to remember how they'd gotten in her house, and she offered them a grin when she realized they'd witnessed her little mad moment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you guys out. I'm just a little.. I'm still waking up."  
"I like what you've done with the place," Jenny said.  
"Oh, thanks," Faye said and glanced toward the lounge. She didn't think it was all that spectacular. "I liked the colours."

Laughter resounded from the lounge as Faye poured herself a cola. "How are you, Jenny?" Faye asked, glancing at the girl.  
"I'm good," Jenny replied.  
Faye felt like running away when Tom appeared and went on search of his favourite wine in the cupboard beside Faye. She watched him with mounting unease, waiting for the fight to break out.  
Tom gave her a funny look and started toward the dustbin, tension in his stride. Faye let out a heavy sigh.  
"I thought you had 'hangover' written all over you," Tom shot at her. "You and your friends went haywire on my best wine. _Again_. I thought we discussed this before, Faye."

Faye suppressed the temptation to give him a smack in the face. It was demoralising that Tom would treat her like she was some problematic teenager. Hell, not even Gahiji ever treated her like a child.  
"What friends?" Faye said. " You guys were all in Africa for two weeks..." Faye carried on even though she knew Tom wasn't listening to a word she was saying.  
"So, what, did they pull a Houdini trick and disappear by themselves?" Tom snapped.  
Faye had never felt quite so embarrassed before, and she resented Tom for it. It was unfair that he would make her look bad in front of everyone else, especially after the garbage she's been dealing with.

Faye sheepishly admitted having finished the wine by herself. She nearly cried again, but composed herself and managed to respond in a steady voice to Tom's questions.  
"No, it's not that." Faye swallowed hard, glancing away from Tom. Her gaze focussed on Jenny's hand a moment later, where it still rested on her stomach in what appeared to be a protective gesture.  
This was the second time Faye caught the motion, and she felt her stomach curl into tight knots of foreboding. Faye would have dismissed it as paranoia, but when Jenny quickly dropped her hand to her side, Faye knew. She felt sick for a moment before meeting Jenny's nervous gaze. Anger, red hot and boiling, spewed forth from her gut as the cold realization suddenly sunk in.  
_I'm waiting for the child_, Gahiji's voice drifted through her mind with painful clarity. He hadn't meant Audrey or Summer's kids – he'd meant Julian's. She knew that moment that things were going to get very _very_ ugly indeed.

"It doesn't matter, either way," Faye said with a shrug, narrowing her eyes at Jenny. It was no surprise that Gahiji had found out about this before Faye did, but what did get to her was the fact that she was going to have to put aside her grievances for the moment and approach Julian about this. "It's not something you can deal with. But I'd wager Julian will prove to be quite helpful in that respect."  
"I can deal with anything just as well as he can." Tom said coldly. "Maybe if you'd _talk_ to me, we can sort out whatever it is that's bothering you."  
Faye smiled warmly at Tom; even though she'd rather cut off her own fingers than let him get involved, his determination and pissed off demeanour reflected her own spinning emotions. "I'm sure you can, sweetie. But I'd rather shield behind Julian, than risk losing you. In my perspective, Julian is expendable. _You_ are not."

**A/N:**_** Many apologies for the lack of dialogue in this one. It's more of a reflective chapter on Faye's week, really.**_


	6. First Encounter

Jenny chewed her lip nervously and stared up at the tall building before her. It was a familiar sight to her, but it was very different now. The building was once used as offices, but in recent years had been renovated into living space. Tom owned one of the penthouses on the top floor. According to her friends, the view was to die for.

"What are you afraid of?" Jenny chided herself. Taking in a calming breath, she rolled up her window and glanced at the green digits blinking at her from the dashboard. 5:56 PM.  
Jenny glanced around the quiet visitors' parking lot. Dee's black Jeep stood in the shade of a sycamore tree nearby. Jenny recognized Tom's car parked outside the open garage door. She glanced around the parking lot again. _Faye is never late_, Tom had told Jenny prior to her arrival here tonight. If Faye didn't show up at six or a few minutes just after, then she obviously wasn't coming home.

Jenny licked her lips and sighed. She still had no idea how she was going to do this. Tom wasn't very encouraging with remarks of Faye being difficult and hard to reason with; and Julian was just as bad.  
Everything will be fine as long as she doesn't mention his name, he said. But that defeated the plot of this whole masquerade, didn't it? Jenny thought dryly as she stared into the thick hibiscus bushes planted around the parking space.  
5:59 PM. Jenny glanced around again. If Faye tried to make a run for it when she sees her car, Jenny wanted to be there to catch her.

Any minute now, Jenny thought hopefully, and watched the security gate in the rear view mirror. A security guard had appeared and was leaning against the wall beside the gate, his hat tipped down to shield his eyes against the dimming sun. He was dressed in a black uniform trimmed with what she thought looked like gold stitching from this distance; it vaguely reminded her of the royal guards outside Buckingham Palace.

Jenny glanced at the time again. 6:04 PM. She turned in her seat to look through the back window impatiently. The guard was still in the same position. The gate remained closed. Jenny suppressed the urge to groan. She watched the gate intently, wishing it would open, and willing Faye to appear.

The guard had taken his hat off and was twirling it between his hands, apparently bored. Jenny squinted at him, and felt a flicker of unease suddenly rear to life inside of her. His hair was a thick mane of black curls that hung ruggedly around his shoulders; a black so sharp that it couldn't possibly be natural. As though he felt her eyes on him, the guard looked up and squinted back at her. He straightened up, fixed the hat back on his head, and started toward her.

Oh, great, Jenny thought miserably. The last thing she needed was a curious security guard questioning her motives for hanging around an empty parking lot. But there was something odd about the way he walked, and it sent chilling ripples through her. A frown creased her features as she watched him. His steps were slow, almost cautious, as though he calculated his every move.  
Her little finger started to tingle, and a foreboding sensation washed over her. Something was very wrong here. There was something very wrong with _him_. She'd felt this way before, because the feelings were disturbingly familiar. But her memory was inaccessible to place exactly when she'd felt like this before. Did she know him? Jenny knew she'd never laid eyes on him before, but there was something about him... if she could just put her finger on it...

There was a gentle purr of an engine, and the security gate slid open. Jenny straightened, surprised, and watched an old Ford Thunderbird glide across the parking lot. It pulled into the empty garage and a second later, the brake lights faded and the engine fell silent. Jenny frowned and reached for her bag.  


The security guard was still slowly edging his way toward her, but now his face was turned toward the slick black car in the garage. He halted in his steps, and turned his body in the direction he was facing. Jenny stared in bewilderment when he made a graceful bow toward the garage. He straightened with an uncanny grace and turned toward her again. He moved just as slow as he had before. Jenny got out of her car, stifling the inexplicable urge to run away from him. She gestured with her hand toward the Thunderbird as explanation for her presence.

The guard didn't seem to acknowledge the notion. Her mouth went dry, and Jenny herself started toward the garage. It was ridiculous because Faye's car was near enough for Jenny to make a dive for it, but somehow Jenny found it hard to walk. Her feet were heavy, and her legs ached with the effort it took for her just to take another step.

Something inside of her was screaming conflicting orders at her clumsy mind; run away, _stay still Jenny_, scream for help,_ don't make a sound_. It was like being caught in horrible slow motion.  
With shocking clarity, memory and reality sliced through Jenny's befuddled mind. She'd had a similar experience like this before... when she'd stumbled onto the More Games store. The feeling that she was face to face with something supernatural; something frightening that was out to get her. Only, Jenny wasn't as ignorant to her instincts now as she'd been at sixteen. She knew what it was that was standing before her; a creature of shadows.

The scared five year old and angry teenager deep within Jenny were completely at odds with one another; one part of her wanted to scream bloody murder and run, the other wanted to insanely face up to him and threaten him with the mention of Julian. It was the rational part of Jenny's adult mind, however, that offered her the only means of possible defence – trace a rune.

Jenny forced another heavy step, and found she was unable to command her body to obey her intentions. She couldn't take another step or lift her hand to protect herself; she couldn't find her voice, she could barely breathe. She was frozen in place. She heard a car door open in the garage.  
The shadow guy sent a sharp glance in the direction of the sound. It was then that Jenny noticed his eyes; endless pools of golden fire that brimmed with something cold and powerful. Jenny tensed involuntarily when he closed the space between them in the blink of an eye. He leaned over her, breath surprisingly cool against her cheek.

His voice sounded eerily like shards of ice dropping into a still lake; it made the hair on her arms stand on end, and chilled her down to the bone. "The more you have of it... the less you see."  
A cool breeze whipped up around them. Jenny flinched, the spell broken, and she stepped away.  
Where the guy had been only a second ago, there was no one. Jenny rebelliously blinked away tears of fear stinging her eyes. It was a sweet relief to be able to breathe, her body back under her control.

_I wish Julian had come with me_, Jenny thought wistfully, furiously rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm herself again. She walked toward the garage on shaky legs.  
Faye was leaning against the car, her arms folded against the window and her forehead pressed to the cool glass. Her face was hidden, and Jenny wondered if she had seen the shadow man. Jenny opened her mouth to ask her just that, but caught herself when a muffled sound came from the other girl. It took Jenny a moment to realize what Faye was doing.  
"Are you crying?" Jenny asked worriedly, and blinked in surprise when Faye literally jolted away from her.  
Faye stared back at her with blazing eyes rimmed with red. Confusion fled her expression a second later, replaced by an emotion Jenny couldn't quite place. Faye's gaze darted past Jenny for a moment, searching, then met her gaze evenly.

"Is he here?" Faye demanded, her voice hoarse.  
"Who?" Jenny asked, perplexed. Maybe Faye did see that shadow creature after all, but Jenny couldn't fathom why it would drive Faye to tears. She'd been a shadow being herself once, and from the little things that Julian had shared with Jenny about the other girl, Faye was fearless. At least, she was in Julian's eyes.  
"Don't be daft," Faye blinked, and frowned. "Julian. Is he with you?"  
"Oh. No. He didn't want to come." Jenny grimaced.  
"Just as well." Faye said and sniffed, wiping her tears on her sleeves. "He wouldn't have made it through the front door anyway."  
"Why were you crying? Was it that guy?" Jenny asked uneasily.  
"I've just been having a bad day. Don't worry about it." Faye said and shrugged. "Did you just get here?"  
"Yeah," Jenny lied.  
"Well, come on, then." Faye said, pulling the garage closed behind them with an unceremonious bang that echoed loudly across the empty parking lot.  
Jenny followed her through the front sliding doors that led into a lobby lined with dark wooden mail boxes. They took the mirrored elevator up to the fifteenth floor in awkward silence.  
"What guy were you talking about, anyway?" Faye asked suddenly.  
"Oh, some security guard in the parking lot." Jenny said vaguely. She wanted to add 'I don't think he's human', but it just sounded so stupid in her head that she deflated at the thought.  
"Security guard?" Faye repeated. She snorted and rubbed her sleep tiredly. "He didn't happen to have black hair and freaky eyes, did he?"  
"You _did_ see him then?" Jenny asked. She didn't know whether she should be relieved, or afraid. She voted for the latter at the look on Faye's face.  
"Sure," Faye sighed deeply, glancing around the elevator for a second.  
"He's not really a security guard, is he?" Jenny asked.  
"No. There aren't any security guards here." Faye licked her lips and leaned back against one wall, folding her arms across her chest. Her dark eyes studied Jenny for a moment. "Did he talk to you?"  
"Yes, he did. It was really weird, though. He said, 'the more you have of it, the less you see'." Jenny shifted uncomfortably.  
"What?" Faye snapped. She inhaled sharply and shook her head. She tilted her head back to glare up at the ceiling. "I hate him."  
"Who is he?" Jenny asked, her hand subconsciously resting on her stomach in a protective motion.  
"Just some loser with too much time on his hands, apparently. He won't touch you, though. He can't, unless you give him permission." Faye let out her breath and massaged her temples. "Don't mention him to the others, okay? They don't need to know. I'm sorry you had to be faced with that, Jenny."  
"What does he want?" Jenny asked quietly.  
"Same ol', same ol'." Faye said vaguely with a dismissive wave. "It's my problem, Jenny. Really, trust me when I say this, you'll be better off not interfering. And in future..." Faye stopped when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open before them.  
Jenny followed Faye down a wide carpeted hallway with exquisitely framed drawings of wild animals against the ochre walls.  
"You were saying?" Jenny asked when they stopped outside a door at the far end of the hallway.  
"In future, don't leave your bodyguard back home when you go out. He's pretty good protection, and heaven knows, you're going to need it now that Gahiji has shown enough interest to converse with you."

Anything else Jenny was going to say died on her lips when Faye shouldered the heavy door open, and motioned Jenny inside a light room. She was on an elevated platform, staring at the floor to ceiling wall of glass across from her that ran all along the open plan penthouse. The pacific was a dulled blue to the left, the sky streaked with the colours of sunset upon the horizon.

Spread out in front of her was the town of Vista Grande, some lights having come to life early and winking back up at her like fallen stars. To the far right were the green hills bordering the town from their neighbouring regions.

Faye nudged her lightly, and Jenny managed to snap out of the trance. She noticed a white and aluminium kitchen to her left, where Faye was currently gathering cups together and boiling a pot of coffee. She watched Faye lean across the breakfast nook to peer at the lounge, and Jenny followed her gaze. Two long steps in front of her led into a quaint dining area, and another couple of steps led down to a sunken platform which contained the lounge area.  
The furniture were few but modern. It all looked so... clean. Spacious. Open and free. Everything had its place, and the colours were all light and airy – white throughout, with touches of gold and pastel blue every here and there. A heavenly look.

"I think they're out in the garden watching the sunset." Faye said, running her fingers through her hair. She offered a ghost of a smile at Jenny's puzzled gaze. "We've got a garden area on the roof. Just go through that door over there. I think I'm going to take a little nap, if you don't mind."  
Jenny shook her head dumbly. Faye looked quite pale, and her eyes were lightly bloodshot. Jenny crossed the length of the penthouse to the door Faye had indicated.  
_Maybe Faye is coming down with something_, Jenny thought. The door led out to a narrow winding staircase with high railings.

Jenny was nearly at the top when she sent a glance to her side and literally froze. Her hands gripped the railing firmly as she stared at the vast landscape around her. It was beautiful, yes. Of course, being this high up would obviously give her a better view of everything. But she was high up. _Very _high up.  
Gravity seemed to try drag her down. Jenny stood rooted to the spot, unable to do anything but stare. If she let go of the rail, she'll fall... and it was a long way down. She pinched her eyes closed even though her body protested against the small action. Her grip tightened as her mind irrationally told her she was going to lose her balance now that she couldn't see anything.

This was ridiculous – she'd faced this fear before, and she'd overcome it... hadn't she? She got over that bridge, in the end. Jenny stiffened. She got over that bridge, because her friends had been there to support and encourage her. It was a fear she hadn't overcome at all, even if she'd been faced with it. Her friends had been her saviours.

"Hey, Sunshine!" Dee's voice floated through the air. Jenny's eyes snapped open when she was wrenched out of her paralysis and dragged up the last remaining stairs by a firm hand.  
"Isn't it beautiful?" Summer said from a lushly padded bunk underneath a canopy of white roses.  
"I was wondering when you'd get here," Zach eyed Jenny curiously. "You didn't get lost, did you?"  
"No." Jenny answered as she sunk down weakly beside Summer.  
"Is Julian with you?" Michael asked, dumbfounded as he glanced around the garden area.  
"He didn't want to see Faye." Jenny said meekly, gazing at the warm colours in the sky.  
"Like she'll even show her face tonight," Dee said and arched an eyebrow at Tom.  
"Well, we actually got here at the same time. Sort of." Jenny said, and nearly cringed at the sharp look Tom gave her.

"Is she coming up?" Tom asked after a moment of stunned silence.  
"I think she's sick. She went to lie down."  
"Oh." Tom said, and let out a sigh. "I'll go check and see if she's alright."  
Jenny watched Tom descend the staircase before she turned to look at Michael. "Are the kids a handful?"  


"Hmm? Oh, not at all. They were a bit zoned out watching Shrek when I left. Audrey was asleep on the couch, so I figured she wouldn't be coming along." Michael shrugged. "I think I'll feel the jetlag sink in tomorrow."  
"We all will," Dee muttered.  
Tom reappeared a minute later. "Sorry, guys. Faye's passed out in the bedroom," Tom sent an apologetic look at Dee and Zach. "It takes about forty minutes for a pizza delivery, the sooner we order the better. What do you guys feel like?"

**Ooo888ooO**

Jenny sat on the edge of the couch, hugging a fluffy throw pillow to her chest. Her gaze drifted from the plasma screen television displaying the football game, to survey the room once again. It was two hours later; the game was on closing end, empty pizza boxes lay cast aside carelessly, and a half-eaten pizza was open on the coffee table before them.  
Jenny didn't know how Faye could sleep through the boisterous cheers from her friends. Even Summer was getting into it, once she was told who she should be rooting for. Jenny just couldn't get caught up in it, even though she tried her best. The game didn't excite her all that much.  
Jenny stood up and cleared her throat. "Do you guys want anything from the kitchen?"  
"Nah, we're good," Dee said distractedly, eyes glued to the screen.

"I'll come help you out," Summer bounced off the couch and sauntered toward the kitchen on Jenny's side.  
Jenny noted the enlarged grey scale photograph of the beaming couple in the dining room. She had to admit, Tom and Faye did make a good couple. In the kitchen it was relatively easy to locate where the glasses were kept, but when Summer and Jenny were faced with the hordes of drinks in the fridge, it proved to be rather difficult to decide what they were having.

Jenny's stomach had been churning all evening, and she'd had to go settle herself three times in the bathroom after sudden waves of nausea knocked into her. She was a bit wary of what she was going to be putting into her body from now onward. She decided on traditional and safe lemonade, hoping it wouldn't bring forth another bout of bathroom trips.  
"Hey," Summer said, looking past Jenny.  
Jenny turned, and offered a smile when she saw Faye behind her. Faye seemed oblivious to both of them, caught in what appeared to be a half-asleep state. She opened the cupboards, and stared at the glasses inside blankly for a moment. She slammed the doors shut almost angrily.  
"Do you think that's funny? Moving my stuff? Do you? Don't touch my things, they're mine! You stupid, stupid damn parasite..." Faye trailed off, and yanked the cupboard open again. She stared at the glasses again, and let out a snort. "Well. That's settled then. You really are losing your mind, aren't you? Maybe I should have taken Julian's advice. Damn him for always being right. Stupid boy."

Faye pulled a glass out and closed the cupboard. She put the glass down before scratching the back of her head. "The more you have of it, the less you see. The more you have of it, the less you see." She ran a hand across her face and sighed deeply. "It's probably something so easy and obvious...damn it, I hate you, Gahiji."

Jenny and Summer had been quiet during Faye's quiet rant, and now exchanged worried looks.  
"Faye, are you okay?" Summer asked uncertainly.  
Faye turned to stare at them. There was a blank look on her face before recognition dawned, and she broke out in a tired grin. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you guys out. I'm just a little... I'm still waking up."

"I like what you've done with the place," Jenny said, to change the subject and steer away from the awkward moment.  
"Oh, thanks," Faye glanced toward the lounge blankly and shrugged. "I liked the colours."  
There was laughter and congratulatory cries from the lounge when the game ended. Faye poured herself a glass of cola, her lips pursed grimly.  
"How are you, Jenny?" Faye asked, sending her a fleeting glance.  
"I'm good," Jenny replied, and shifted aside when Tom appeared in the kitchen behind them.  
He strolled toward a cupboard next to Faye, and crouching down he inspected the contents. "We need some wine to celebrate our win. Now... where is that bottle... hey," Tom frowned up at Faye in confusion, who returned his look blankly. "Where are the bottles of Sweet Red? I'm sure we had a couple of them."  
Faye sniffed and looked away, a guilty expression on her face as she took slow sips of her drink. Tom straightened up and crucially studied her for a second. He stepped toward the garbage tin, but stopped when Faye let out a heavy sigh.  
"I thought you had 'hangover' written all over you," Tom said with a deep frown. "You and your friends went haywire on my best wine. _Again_. I thought we discussed this before, Faye."  
"What friends?" Faye said as she rubbed her forehead. "You guys were all in Africa for two weeks, and I don't consider my work colleagues as _friends_, so why would I invite them over to drink your best wine, Tom?"  
"So, what, did they pull a Houdini trick and disappear by themselves?" Tom snapped.  
"I'll reimburse you, Tom. I'm sorry." Faye sent an awkward glance at Jenny and Summer. "Sorry," she repeated.

"But you don't like to drink." Tom said uncertainly. "You couldn't have finished two bottles of wine by yourself. You had someone over, right?"  
"No," Faye closed her eyes. For a moment her delicate features creased slightly, and her face flushed deeply. Jenny thought she was going to burst into tears; but as soon as the expression came, it softened, and Faye stared at Tom with a troubled look in her eye.  
"I've just been having a bad week, that's all."  
"It's not the workload, is it? We're back now, so you don't have to deal with it anymore." Tom said lightly, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.  
"No, it's not that," Faye swallowed hard and looked at Jenny. Her gaze flitted to Jenny's hand still resting on her abdomen. Jenny blinked, and dropped her hand to her side nervously, but it was clear Faye had dissected the small motion in her head. Their eyes locked and something furious glimmered in the depths of Faye's gaze.

"It doesn't matter, either way." Faye said with a shrug, narrowing her eyes at Jenny suspiciously. "It's not something you can deal with. But I'd wager Julian will prove to be quite helpful in that respect."  
Jenny shifted uncomfortably under her piercing gaze. The look didn't pass by Summer or Tom, but only Tom had the guts to face up to the former shadow girl.  
"I can deal with anything just as well as he can. Maybe if you'd _talk_ to me, we can sort out whatever it is that's bothering you." Tom said coldly.  
Faye sent him a warm smile that threw everyone off. "I'm sure you can, sweetie. But I'd rather shield behind Julian, than risk losing you. In my perspective, Julian is expendable. _You_ are not."


	7. A Friendly Warning

Socializing with Faye turned out to be quite easy, and even fun, once they all ceased any reference to Julian. Jenny found herself surrounded by constant laughter, and the atmosphere picked up considerably to a nearly ecstatic height. Jenny was somewhat disappointed when her friends decided to call it a night. She wished the moment could last forever.

Faye seemed relatively relieved when she closed the door on the group of smiling friends calling good-natured farewells over their shoulders. Jenny was watching Tom, who in turn was slumped forward and glaring at the mess in the lounge with obvious exhaustion.

"You should get to bed, Tom. Try and get your body back into its proper sleeping pattern. Take some melatonin to bed with you." Faye suggested from the doorway.  
Tom obeyed, but he paused halfway across the lounge. "Are you staying over, Jenny?"  
"Do you _want_ trouble, Tom?" Faye snapped at him. "I'll call Julian to come pick her up a little later."  
"You'll what?" Tom and Jenny both stared at Faye. Jenny thought she'd heard wrong.  
Faye returned their stares with a deadly look. "Don't push me. Get to bed. Jenny and I have some catching up to do."

Once Tom disappeared down the hall, Faye brought Jenny around to the window bunk in the dining room. Jenny accepted the cup of steamy coco from Faye, and glanced uneasily at the large window beside her. It was dark outside, sometime well past eleven. She couldn't help the faint sensation that the glass would suddenly give way and she'd fall.  
"It's four inches thick, Jenny. It's not just going to disappear." Faye said lightly, as though she'd read her thoughts.  
Jenny shifted awkwardly and shrugged off the teasing teeth of fear nibbling at her. "Did you mean what you said?" Jenny asked.  
"About calling Julian? Yes." Faye said curtly, and straightened up. "I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk about you. What have you been up to lately?"  
"Oh. Not much." Jenny said, gazing at the dining room. "You know. I mean, work is normal, I've got the good days and the bad days. How about you?"  
"I think I'm going to be on temporary leave from work for a couple of weeks." Faye gave her an unnerving grin. "Enough idle chit chat. You're not here for that, and I didn't want you to stay longer to talk about nonsense either."  
Jenny stared back at her, surprised.  
"Tell me, Jenny, be honest. Why are you here?"  
Jenny thought for a long time, studying Faye warily, before she finally spoke. If Faye wanted the truth, then she would give it to her straight.  
"I'm here... because I want to know why you and Julian are at war, so to speak. Why do you avoid each other? I don't understand why you hate each other so much, and I can't help but feel that I'm responsible for it, just as I think I was the reason why you moved out of the villa when I moved in. Were you guys in love? Did I come between you? Is it jealousy? Tom says you say differently, and Julian denies anything of the sort as well, but I really... I really need to know. I just... I just need to fix things, because maybe you guys can carry on this way, but I _can't_. I need that peace of mind that I'm not to blame, and if I am, I will try my best to make amends..." Jenny fell silent when Faye raised a hand to silence her.

Faye was observing Jenny with curiosity and appreciation."You've been carrying that baggage with you for a while, haven't you?" Faye asked quietly.  
Jenny nodded and swallowed hard.  
"Didn't Julian clear it up for you?" Faye asked.

Jenny sighed. "He doesn't want to talk about it. That's what he always says when I try broach the subject."  
"Which is reasonable, I'd say." Faye said, and shrugged at Jenny's frustrated glare. "I'm just saying. It's like..." Faye thought for a moment. "It's like me asking you why you didn't tell your friends that you'd given in and kissed Julian behind the scenes during the games, or why you never said anything about being tricked to kiss him in the first place because you thought he was your cousin."  
Jenny blinked at Faye, and sent a weary glance around the penthouse. "How did you know that?"  
"Everybody knows everybody else's business in the shadow world, Jenny." Faye said and sighed heavily. "Do you see the point I'm trying to make, though?"  
"Yeah." Jenny said in obvious disappointment.  
"Then you understand when I say that it's not something we'd like to discuss. It's bringing up the past, and for what? What's the point? All you'll be doing is rubbing salt into opened wounds, and it'll not only hurt everyone around us, but it'll probably kill me and Julian. It's just... really complicated."  
"Just... just tell me this. _Were_ you romantically involved at all?" Jenny asked boldly.  
Faye groaned. "You and Tom. I swear, were you two speculating about this together? No, Julian and I never were and never will be. End of story."  
"Okay. Why did you move out of the villa after I moved in then?" Jenny asked, determined.  
Faye fell silent and sipped her drink, gazing out the window. Jenny didn't think she was going to get an answer, so she was quite surprised when Faye finally did respond.  
"That day when you came over to the villa for the first time, Julian and I had a bit of a fall out before you arrived. He flipped out when he realized Tom and I were together. He'd been on his way to inflict who knows what horrors on Tom when you arrived." Faye chewed her lip and solemnly stared into her cup. It was clear that Faye was having a hard time recounting the events of that time.

"Things just spiralled downward from thereon. We couldn't even carry a decent conversation, because every discussion would turn into a fight. I mean, something as simple as asking where the remote is would end in a full out brawl between us. So, eventually conversations died and whenever we would talk, it would be to throw insults or threats or remarks at each other, or at you and Tom to be more specific. To piss each other off. I don't know," Faye sniffed and closed her eyes. "We just stopped talking at all in the end. Almost like giving each other the silent treatment, only it was permanent. By the time we accepted the way things were and how it was going to be, we didn't really know how to speak to each other anymore."  
"That's awful," Jenny whispered.  
"I didn't know you were moving into the villa until you actually pitched up. I thought it was my golden opportunity to get out of there. That's why I left so quickly." Faye licked her lips. "I didn't leave because of you. I just couldn't stand him anymore. If I'd had him to myself, it would be a different story. But he had you, and I had Tom."  
"But you two were never... involved. You and Julian, I mean." Jenny said uncertainly.  
Faye frowned and shook her head. "No, no. How could we? It's just so wrong, I can't even begin to think in that direction."  
"But then why did Julian get angry when he found out about you and Tom?"  
"Because Julian doesn't like to share." Faye smirked.  
"So he was jealous?"  
"No. Julian is territorial by nature. There _is_ a difference." Faye said to Jenny's sceptical look. "Just like a dominant lion chasing off an outsider lion threatening his position in the pack. Territorial."  
"I always thought of him more as a tiger than a lion." Jenny said sheepishly, and Faye chuckled softly.  
"So if things are okay, why haven't you tried to make amends? I mean, why didn't you come to me, or Dee, or Audrey even? We could have helped you guys out to...re-establish your friendship. " said Jenny.  
"I...ah, that's a bit complicated, Jenny." Faye grimaced. "I don't like being reminded of the past, and neither does Julian. It's something you try put behind you and forget so you can move on."  


"So... don't bring up the past then." Jenny said, confused.  
"You don't understand," Faye shook her head. "Julian _is_ my past, just like I'm _his_ past. We're linked that way. Unfortunately."  
Silence dwelled in the penthouse for a few moments as Jenny digested this information. The sweet scent of lavender incense was soothing, and now that the television had been switched off and there were no other noises in the room, she could hear the faint beautiful notes of violins playing from a hidden hi-fi. Hauntingly sweet melodies filled the room, and for a second Jenny could imagine she really was in heaven.

"You created Julian." Jenny said suddenly, and looked at Faye. The other girl seemed adamant to avoid her gaze though.  
"Yes." Faye said simply.  
"Why?"  
"I was lonely." The answer came more easily than Jenny had anticipated, and she thought this over in her mind.  
"Were you mad when I took him away from you?"  
Faye actually did look at her then, and Jenny felt a wave of regret when tears welled up in the dark eyes staring back at her steadily. "Of course not, Jenny. You didn't take him away from me."  
"Didn't I?"  
Faye sniffed and shook her head. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "No. He was never meant to belong to me, even though he does. I didn't create him to keep him, even if I did create him for my own purposes. I never treated him like a possession, like a belonging. Like a slave." Faye's voice broke with the last word. She wiped at her tears with her fingers and breathed out slowly. "Not that it's been easy letting things be as they are. But it's easier than trying to reconcile with him. We're just too different."  
"And you can't put aside your differences, even just long enough to talk?"  
"No." Faye said grimly.

Neither of them spoke again for a while. Jenny glanced at the clock, and started when she saw it was just past midnight. "Oh, Faye, I've got to get going."  
"You're not going anywhere." Faye's voice was cold, and her hand firm as she yanked Jenny back down onto the bunk.  
Jenny stared back at her, stumped. "I have to get home. It's late, see."  
"I told you. I'll get Julian to come fetch you. You're not going anywhere alone."  
"Because of that shadow guy hanging around?" Jenny asked uncertainly.  
"Well, that." Faye nodded at her. "How far along are you?"  
Jenny's mind drew a blank, and she stared at Faye. "How long have you been pregnant?" Faye asked with a note of impatience.  
"I don't know. Not more than a couple of months, I guess." Jenny found her voice.  
"Was it planned?"  
"Well..." Jenny trailed off when Faye interrupted her.  
"Of course it was, what am I asking." Faye smacked her palm to her forehead. "Like Julian would allow an 'accident'. You wanted to have kids, right?"  
"Well, yes..." Jenny said. "But it wasn't exactly planned, so I guess even Julian can make an accident."  
"That was planned, trust me, Jenny," Faye gestured with her hand. "Julian obviously knows what you want, right? He's good at reading people, and I bet he's an expert at reading you, Jenny. Heaven knows, he's studied you long enough to predict how you'll die one day."  
"But... but we never talked about it. We never discussed having kids, I mean... even if he guessed," Jenny said to Faye's amused grin. "He would have talked to me about it first, to put his point of view across. I mean, what if he's not ready? I'd hate to think he let it happen just because I wanted it..."  


"Jenny." Faye said.  
"And he does have a say in it, he knows that, we're a team, we're supposed to make these decisions together..."  
"Jenny." Faye laughed. "What are you talking about? Julian is infatuated with you – he'd do anything to make you happy. You know, when he said he'll give you whatever your heart desires, he wasn't kidding."  
"No." Jenny frowned at her angrily. "No, this is _big_, he wouldn't just... he wouldn't, not without talking to me about it. He wouldn't just assume he knows what I want."  
"Obviously he did," Faye gestured toward Jenny's still flat stomach. She laughed again at Jenny's distraught expression. "Come, now, Jenny. Don't you know him at all?"

"Of course I do," Jenny snapped, though her words sounded hollow to her own ears. Did she know him? Faye proved to clearly know Julian better than Jenny did.  
"Look," Faye dropped the smile from her face, and squeezed Jenny's hand sympathetically. "Julian's watched over you since you were a little kid. He used to spend every available moment following you. I remember because I barely ever saw him since he first laid eyes on you. And as creepy and wrong as you'd imagine it to be, it wasn't. Maybe if it had been any other guy, yeah, you should get a restraining order. But Julian is different, he always was different."

Faye studied Jenny's bland expression. "You realize Julian's not normal, don't you? I doubt he ever had to do... disgusting and presumably natural things whenever he watched you, in what you would term as 'intimate' moments. You know, when you'd think you're alone, like in the bathroom for example."

Jenny's cheeks flushed bright red, and Faye laughed again. "Jenny, really! Believe me when I say this, Julian doesn't _think_ the way you do. He's not conformed to the perceptions of this world, so without question his perspective on these things is _very_ much different from what you'd expect."  
Jenny shifted awkwardly. She did vaguely recall Julian telling her something similar long ago, when he'd shared that appalling information with her for the second time. His eyes had been laughing at her reaction, too. Maybe it was the truth, but Jenny just couldn't get her head around it.

"But it's not like that anymore." Jenny pointed out feebly. "Julian isn't like that anymore."  
"Isn't he?" Faye looked doubtful. "I beg to differ."  
Jenny didn't like the direction the conversation was steering in, and she rose to her feet again. "I need to get home. Thanks for the coco."  
Faye didn't move as she watched with cool eyes as Jenny collected her things and moved toward the front door. "You know that shadow dude that was hanging about the parking lot earlier? He's waiting for you outside that door."

Jenny faltered in her stride, and paused with her hand resting on the doorknob. She glanced back toward Faye, unnerved. Was she trying to scare her on purpose? Why was Faye so adamant to keep Jenny here?  
"He's not like Julian. He has no heart, no conscience, no mercy. The second you step through that door, he might overwhelm you and suck you into the shadow world. Not that I can say for sure, but I wouldn't take that risk if I were you. He's got some nasty things in store for you, Jenny." Faye's voice was soft and calm, but her words made Jenny withdraw her hand from the doorknob and step away wearily. "If you don't believe me, move the mirror."

Jenny stared back at Faye for a tense moment. She turned back to the door, and very cautiously lifted the full length mirror far enough for her to peek behind it. She stared at the familiar symbol carved deeply into the wood for what seemed an eternity.

Her mind whirled with a thousand questions, and she felt her hackles rise. Jenny carefully replaced the mirror in its previous position, the symbol hidden behind it. She turned slowly to look across the room at Faye.  
"That's the rune of restraint." Jenny said quietly. She would never forget that symbol; it had been the last thing she and her friends had used magic-wise after Julian sacrificed himself for her.  
"Of course, what else could it be." Faye arched her eyebrows. "It's to keep evil at bay."  
"To keep that shadow guy out." Jenny said, more to herself than to Faye.  
"Yeah, it's a bit unnerving when they suddenly appear next to you and threaten you, and then disappear into thin air." Faye slowly got to her feet and paused, one hand clutching her ribs while she steadied herself against the window with her other hand.

"Are you okay?" Jenny asked, startled to see the flicker of pain on the other girl's face.  
Faye didn't answer right away, pinching her eyes closed and staying immobile for a second before straightening up slowly. She let out her breath and strolled toward the kitchen.  
"Faye, what's wrong?" Jenny frowned as Faye grabbed bottled spring water from the fridge and brought forth a box hidden behind the breadbin. Faye shook out a couple of round white pills into the palm of her hand, and popped them into her mouth before washing it down with the water. Suspicion arose in Jenny when she watched Faye quickly hide the box of pills again.

"I'll call Julian for you," Faye said a few minutes of awkward silence later.  
"Okay." Jenny said, and stared as Faye scratched the skin of her arm beneath her wrist. It was just a scratch, so brief and inconspicuous, but the way she'd done it sent waves of foreboding through Jenny. Faye flashed her a small smile and walked over to the door. She stopped, hand resting on the doorknob, and stared at the door for a long, long time.  
"Faye, are you alright? Here, I'll give you Julian's number if you like." Jenny offered, searching her bag for her mobile.

Faye gave Jenny a baffled look, and shook her head with a heavy sigh. "No need, Jenny. Don't fuss."  
"Oh. But... okay." Jenny dropped her hands to her sides, frowning back at Faye with matching confusion. Jenny blinked when Faye stared at the door again, and seemed to brace herself. "You're not going to open it, are you? You just said that guy might be outside."  
Faye didn't seem to hear her. She looked past Jenny toward the lounge, biting her lip nervously, then took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She turned back to the door, held her head high – and opened the door.

Jenny couldn't see what was outside, and Faye's expression betrayed nothing. She watched tensely, waiting for bony arms to appear and yank Faye through the doorway.  
Nothing happened. Faye didn't move, or speak, and her face was a mask of indifference.  
Maybe there was nothing outside, Jenny thought, and found the courage to take a step toward Faye, and another, and another.  
One more step brought her into full view of the hallway outside the front door, and Jenny did a startled double take.  
The hallway wasn't empty.


	8. It's not Cheating

She was momentarily paralysed in a mixture of suspense, confusion, and a touch of fear. Jenny blinked slowly, and gritted her teeth against the inexplicable urge to burst into tears. The tension before her was mounting with every breath she took. She had to do_ something_ to prevent it from reaching climax. She knew she had to intervene, but she was rooted to the spot.

Faye's mask of indifference didn't waver, not even in the face of the menacing fury glaring right back at her on the other side of the door. Jenny's heart raced up her throat before plunging sickeningly to her feet. Chilled fingers of fear danced across the nape of her neck. All she could do was stare.

The boy standing outside was intimidating in his aura; his demeanour was tense, every muscle strained and waiting for the slightest provocation before... Jenny didn't want to think any further than that. Whatever would happen, she didn't want to witness it.

"Julian," Jenny's voice came out in a breath.

Eyes deep and dark like endless glaciers shifted toward her. Their eyes locked, and for what felt like forever to Jenny, they just looked at each other.

"Let's go home," Julian said. His tone of voice was completely at odds with the glowering look he gave Faye; it was quiet and gently coaxing, directed at Jenny.

Faye finally moved, and leaned back against the door. She glanced at Jenny, who still hadn't moved from her spot, and then stared at the black and white vinyl floor of the kitchen.  
"We need to talk before you head off." Faye said in a tight voice.

Julian's response was an incredulous snort. He extended his hand toward Jenny, whom in return twitched into motion and took a cautious step toward him.  
Faye watched Jenny slowly approach the doorway. Jenny hesitated when she reached Faye, sending a wary glance at her before looking at Julian again. Before she could take another step, Faye's arm shot out and blocked the doorway. Jenny stopped short, looking from Faye's solemn eyes to Julian's grim expression.

"Maybe you guys should talk." Jenny found her voice.  
"We should get out of here. That's what we should do." Julian said.  
Faye studied Jenny for a moment. A heavy sigh escaped through her lips, and she banged her head back against the door and closed her eyes. The nonchalant facade she'd put up earlier was gone and replaced by obvious annoyance.

"I would have congratulated you in any other circumstance. But we're not exactly friends, and I'm not exactly thrilled that you're spreading demon spawn all over the place." Faye snapped. "Still, I owe you this much..."  
"I didn't expect anything less from you." Julian said coldly.

Faye finally opened her eyes and looked at Julian. He was dressed in black from head to toe, his shocking white hair glaring in the artificial light off the hallway, his captivating blue eyes reflecting his curt temper toward her. He looked exactly as she remembered him, even if this was the most modestly dressed she'd ever seen him. His voice still carried the elemental note of beauty in it, but it was watered down from what she recalled and sounded more human. Still, his beauty was as unearthly as it had always been, now even more so because he was surrounded by ordinary things that paled and faded in his shadow.  
Faye narrowed her gaze at his words and pursed her lips tightly.  


"No, it's really important that you hear what Faye has to say," Jenny said, frowning from one to the other. "This isn't child's play, you know."  
"Let's get going, Jenny." This time it was an order.  
Jenny didn't budge. Instead she whirled on Faye, gesturing with her hands encouragingly. "Go on. Tell him, Faye, tell him about that other shadow guy."  
"What shadow guy?" Julian asked, eyebrows arching in surprise and curiosity turning his eyes lighter.  
"There was this guy in the parking lot when I arrived here tonight, and he was...what you used to be, I could just sense it," Jenny said when it was apparent Faye wasn't going to oblige with spilling information. "He came over and talked to me, but I think he was waiting for Faye. But then, Faye said that he was sort of after me, and that he was planning some horrible things..."  
"What did he say to you?" Julian asked.  
"Oh...the more you have of it, the less you see. I don't know what it's supposed to mean." Jenny added sheepishly.  
"It's a riddle." Faye said to Jenny. "I thought the answer could be something like, the richer you are, the easier it is to overlook the bums on the streets. But that's not it."  
"It's darkness, is what it is." Julian said.  
Faye looked at him sharply, and nearly smacked her hand to her forehead. "Well, duh. Why didn't I think of that?"  
"Not that it concerns me, but why is Gahiji hanging around, and why is he dishing out stupid riddles to my wife?" Julian glanced at Jenny. "He didn't touch you, did he?"  
Jenny shook her head when Faye spoke. "He's got some sick game lined up, and the prize at stake is...well..." Faye trailed off, glancing at Jenny before arching an eyebrow at Julian.  
"Jenny is the prize?" Julian asked, but it was evident he knew better than he was letting on.  
Faye gave a slight shake of her head and put her hands on her hips. "I can try source out when and what exactly is going to go down. And don't do anything stupid," Faye snapped a finger at Julian. "Trying to beat Gahiji six feet into the ground is only going to delay the inevitable 'game'."  
"You're giving _me_ advice on playing games?" Julian nearly smiled.  
"You've got a very ugly temper on you, and Gahiji has a knack for yanking all the wrong chains. Which is why I'm giving you _advice_. Like Jenny said, this isn't child's play. We need to stick to our rules, and keep up pretences. Gahiji doesn't know I've told you, so don't slip up and give me away." Faye chided.  
"Like I would." Julian gave her a burning look.  
"He really means business. I don't want him on my case if he finds out we're cheating." Faye looked away toward the window.  
"It's not cheating." Julian sighed.  
"I know. It's withholding information. Still, it's an unfair advantage on our behalf. Not that anything is fair about this whole mess." Faye chewed her lip nervously. "I don't want to get caught, that's all."  
"He's winded you up like a jack in the box. What did he do to you?"  
Faye shrugged in response. "He's an ass, and I'll make sure he gets what's coming to him. We'll leave it at that. Besides, it's not like you give a damn."  
They eyed each other for a moment before Jenny intervened.  
"Will you be able to find out what game he's got in store for us? Don't we have a say in this? What if we don't want to play?" Jenny demanded.  
"Then you lose by default." Faye said. "You have to play, Jenny."  
"Let me know what you find out." Julian said and wrapped an arm securely around Jenny when she stepped closer to him.  
"Yeah. Remember, _don't_ slip up." Faye said and closed the door on them.

**Ooo888ooO**

__

_**A/N: If you read, please review. If you don't review, I won't know you're reading. Which will inevitably lead to me scrapping this whole fic and leaving it incomplete! If it's not worth reviewing, it's not worth writing it.**_


	9. Arising Doubts

"How did you get here so fast?" Jenny asked the question that had been tickling the back of her mind since they left the penthouse.

She was expecting the truth in reply, but part of her wasn't sure she really wanted to know. Julian brought the car to a smooth halt at a red traffic light. Jenny was surprised at the amount of traffic that crossed the intersection before them, and she glanced at the digital numbers glowing green on the dashboard. It was well past midnight. She tore her gaze from the other cars when Julian spoke.  
"Party animals."

Jenny pursed her lips, staring at him. The streetlights coated the interior of the car in slanting shadows, and the red light cast an unholy glow across his pale features. It streaked his blonde hair with bright red and turned his sapphire eyes into sharp amethyst.

Jenny gazed at him, her imagination beginning to run wild. What if this wasn't really Julian? What if this was that shadow guy in the parking lot? Because, of course, Julian was human now. Red lights didn't turn blue eyes into purple, and it didn't turn blondes into red heads either. But it was definitely Julian's profile – the sensually sculpted lips, the strong jaw line, the god-like nose, the dark eyebrows.

Jenny blinked when Julian reached over and shifted gears, turning to glance at her. His blue eyes were haloed in shadow and he frowned through the messy white hair across his forehead when he noted her expression. He leaned back in his seat, and as he did so, the red light displayed across his features again. He rolled down his window a few inches. Refreshing night air breezed into the car, chasing away any doubts Jenny had a moment before.

Julian looked tired – shadow men don't get tired, Jenny chided herself. Of course it was Julian, and despite what Faye said, Julian _has_ changed. Besides, how could Faye possibly know for sure if she hasn't even sent a hello their way for five years, Jenny added to herself. People change.

Jenny looked out her window when Julian heaved a sigh. Guilt slapped her on the back of her head – she shouldn't even toy with the idea that Julian was anything but human. Sure, he doesn't fall under the 'average good-looking guy' category concerning appearances, but Jenny had seen Goths dressed up much more exotic than Julian.

Jenny watched her reflection in the window staring back at her. Blonde hair, the colour of honey in shade, hanging in lose locks around her shoulders. Straight eyebrows, a slightly darker shade than her hair. Pine green eyes that suddenly glowed to life with a different green when the traffic light changed. The car came into motion, and the scenery outside turned into a blur of light streaks.

"Well?" Jenny breathed out, peeking at Julian from the corner of her eye.  
"She called me, Jenny," Julian said curtly.  
"How? I didn't see her on the phone, or a pager, and she doesn't have your number. So, how did she call you, exactly?"

Julian stared right ahead at the road. "Faye doesn't need to use technology to communicate with me. Don't forget where we came from, Jenny."  
"So she used magic?"  
"It works as well here as anywhere else, if you know what you're doing," Julian said. "You still remember the runes?"  
"I guess," Jenny muttered. Of course she remembered the runes! How could she ever forget? "Do you think it'll help when this game takes place?"  
"You won't need it." Julian answered.  
"How can you be so sure?" Jenny frowned at him.  
"Because I won't let anything happen to you."  
Jenny felt a throb of warmth at his words, and relaxed back into her seat as she watched him. "What do you think he wants?" Jenny asked.  
"He wants trouble." Julian sent a sharp glance at Jenny. "Trust me, Jenny, he won't get what he's after."

**Ooo888ooO**

Jenny didn't know what to expect in the passing days. One part of her waited to be ambushed by shadow creatures like the Lurker or the Creeper, while another part of her began to hope that nothing was going to happen at all.

Jenny went back to work after the weekend, and Julian dropped in to check on her multiple times throughout the day. His presence, of course, caused a stir in the office every time and productivity in the work place took a nose dive because of it. Jenny didn't know whether to smile or hide under the desk; it was odd that her co-workers would almost get lyrical about Julian.

What was quite strange was the fact that the local newspaper declared Faye a heroine for saving three kids from being killed by a crazed ex-employee at the Riley mansion. Julian had laughed when Jenny showed him the article, but Tom hadn't been all that amused when Jenny phoned to question Faye about it.  
"She doesn't _think_, and now she's addicted to painkillers. She should have called me while she was in hospital – she should have _told_ me instead of having the damn paper throw it in my face," Tom had said over the phone.

A fortnight later, Jenny invited her friends and family over for a barbeque at the villa. It was a big affair for Jenny, and she decorated the villa in soft cool colours. Julian offered to handle the food after Jenny fled to the bathroom for the second time that day, and he insisted she rather get dressed for supper before their guests arrived.  
Jenny stood in front of the full length mirror in their bedroom, turning this way and that to observe her reflection with a sceptical eye.

The tunic was a mixture of bright canary and soft butter yellow, and it fell in gentle folds around her arms. The long white skirt with gold sequins in intricate curls, twirled lightly around her ankles when she moved. Jenny turned to the side and pulled the tunic back tightly against her skin. She eyed the small bump where there used to be nothing. With a sigh, she straightened out the tunic again and ran her fingers through her hair. _I still can't believe it_, Jenny thought.

She glanced at the bedside table in the mirror and her gaze rested on the framed photograph there. It was mostly black like static, and in the middle there was a white thing that resembled something like an oversized bean, or a little alien as Julian had put it. The first sonar had been only the day before; the quick heartbeat they listened to and the slight movements they could see were amazing, yet Jenny still couldn't quite believe any of it was real.

And today they were going to share the good news with their family and friends. Jenny's excitement moulded into nervousness when the doorbell chimed through the villa. Taking a deep breath, Jenny hurried downstairs.

She expected her parents to be the first to arrive and with the thought in mind, a bright smile spread across her lips as giddy excitement returned. Jenny flung the door open, and her smile broadened when Dee gave her a quick hug before breezing into the villa.

Dee looked around with keen dark eyes, and turned to arch an eyebrow at Jenny.  
"You did a little revamp, I see. Something tells me this isn't just some ordinary barbeque, is it?" Dee said, and suspicion crossed her dark beauty when Jenny only grinned back. "Alright, where can I put this?" Dee motioned to the bowl of potato salad in her hand.

"Oh," Jenny said when the doorbell rang loudly behind her, "In the kitchen, I think Julian is still busy in there."

Jenny watched Dee stroll toward the kitchen and she quickly rushed to the door. This time it was her parents. Her father was rubbing the lenses of his glasses on his pale blue checked shirt, his head cocked to the side as he curiously studied Joey. Joey, in turn, was leaning casually against the wall and striking up nervous conversation with an amused looking Faye. It was Jenny's mother who turned and noticed Jenny first, and a second later she was drowning in a warm, motherly embrace.

"Hi, sweetheart! It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" Her mother exclaimed, hugging her tighter still.  
"Mom, please, you were here for tea only two days ago." Jenny gently disengaged herself from her mother.  
"Two days is a very long time for your mother, honey," Jenny's father fixed his glasses back on his nose, and gave Jenny a brief warm hug.

Jenny smiled up at him and stepped aside to let them in. She watched her parents saunter through the villa as though they lived there themselves, and turned to curiously look at her brother and Faye.

"...don't know any other chic that would have been that brave. Especially considering the kids that were under attack – I mean, the Riley brothers are jerks of note..." Joey was saying.  
"What Faye did wasn't brave, it was stupid. Don't think about trying to be a hero, Joey, it's not worth it," Tom appeared with bowls in his arms, giving Faye a pointed look before he turned toward Jenny.

"Hey, Jenny," Tom gave her a somewhat kinder smile. "I hope the others have brought enough salads. I didn't realize until we got here that Faye made jell-o and chocolate pudding instead of food."  
"That's alright, Tom, we need something sweet," Jenny shook her head, wondering why she hadn't thought of making pudding, and at the same time worrying whether Julian had.  
"You can't be a hero and not be willing to make sacrifices," Faye said loudly, causing Tom to send her a withering look over his shoulder. She dropped her voice and flashed a smile at Joey. "Besides, it was a moment of insanity. It had nothing to do with bravery or what Tom said."

Jenny frowned at the awe-struck expression on Joey's face when Faye wafted past her into the villa.  
"Are you just going to stand there, or are you coming inside?" Jenny chided, and her little brother jolted into movement. He gave her a sheepish grin as he stepped inside. Jenny blew out her breath and closed the door, turning around to go join the others in the backyard.

Julian already had the grill going, and bowls of salads stood in colourful array on a table covered by simple gauze net. Everyone had a drink of some sort in their hands, and it seemed the barbeque was going to turn out brilliant if it continued this way.

Jenny had just poured herself a tall glass of pineapple juice when the doorbell chimed again. With a sigh, Jenny put down her glass and went to answer it. Michael looked harassed as he exploded into the villa the moment Jenny opened the door, his arms hugging five two litre bottles of cream soda and strawberry colas.

"Hi, Jenny!" Michael nodded at her, heading toward the kitchen.  
"Hello," Audrey smiled, putting down a wriggling Anthony before giving Jenny a brief hug. "Oh, Maxine! Will you get here this moment!" Audrey scowled over her shoulder.

Maxine skipped into the villa a moment later, wiping grimy hands on her jeans and grinning at Jenny. "I was just looking at the garden."  
"In future you'll look with your eyes, not your hands," Audrey chided. "Go wash your hands, Maxine."  
"Yes, Mommy." Maxine sighed dramatically and disappeared up the stairs.  
"We're not late, are we?" Audrey asked Jenny, glancing at the delicate gold watch on her wrist before looking at Jenny expectantly.  
"Not at all. Come on, everyone is in the back." Jenny said and led the way. "Do you know if Zach is coming?"  
"I'm not sure, to be honest. I think he was working on some project when Summer last spoke to him this morning... Anthony, no! Don't touch that!" Audrey sprinted toward the toddler who was heading toward a thorny bush against the wall.

Jenny smiled when Michael stepped past her and drifted toward Julian and Dee. She had to dodge Maxine when the little girl shot out of the house right toward Julian. Jenny went over to where she'd put down her drink, and then settled herself down beside her mother.

"I was just telling Faye what lovely weather we've been having lately." Mrs. Thornton explained, and turned to Faye again. "Jenny used to host plenty of pool parties. Why, I believe she held one for Tom's seventeenth birthday. That is of course, where she met her husband."  
"Mom..." Jenny sighed heavily.  
"Oh, really?" Faye asked, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.  
"Well, of course as I understand it, Jenny wasn't too... taken with him, not right away. Well, of course she wouldn't have been, because she and Tom were an item at that time." Mrs Thornton nodded.  
"Mom, I'm sure Faye doesn't want to be bored about our history..." Jenny trailed off.

"Faye, I don't believe you've met her husband yet. Julian! _Julian_," Mrs Thornton called, and Jenny cringed awkwardly when Julian disengaged himself from Dee and Michael's conversation. She wanted to tell him to stay away and not make things any more awkward. "Julian, this is Faye. She's Tom's... fiancé, correct?" Mrs Thornton looked at Faye for confirmation.  
Faye smiled and shrugged. "Yes."

Jenny's mouth dropped open in shock. She would have thought Faye was just playing along, but now that Mrs Thornton mentioned it, Jenny noticed the ring on Faye's finger for the first time.

"And this is Jenny's husband, Julian." Mrs Thornton introduced.  
Faye chewed her lip for a second, glancing at Jenny's confused stare before she straightened and sighed, extending her hand to Julian.  
To Jenny's surprise, Julian played along and shook Faye's hand, a courteous smile on his face.

"Pleased to meet you," Faye smiled warmly.  
"Likewise." Julian returned the smile.

There was no trace of the tension between them that there had been that night at the penthouse. It confused and frightened Jenny; if they were really just acting it out to avoid her mother feeling foolish, then they were brilliant at it. But the warmth between them appeared almost too genuine, and it unsettled Jenny. How did they get on such good terms without contacting each other? Unless they were talking, and Jenny didn't know about it but that seemed suspicious all the same.

"So, when did you decide to take the plunge?" Julian asked.  
Jenny noticed he didn't look stunned at all that Faye was engaged. In fact, everyone else looked as surprised as she was, except for Tom and Julian.  
"Not too long ago. We're planning the wedding of the century." Faye answered, crossing her legs and squinting up at Julian.  
"You should have been on Jenny and Julian's wedding. Now _that_ was the most perfect wedding I've ever been to, and I'm not just saying that because it's my daughter's wedding." Mrs Thornton mused.  
"I'm sure it was, but I'm not aiming for perfection. I'm leaning toward _unreal_," Faye flashed a smile at Tom, who frowned worriedly in response. "I'm going on home-made buffets and fairy tale decor. The food will be out of this world, and it will be an experience you'll never forget."  


"That sounds magical." Maxine piped up.  
"Nah, just different." Faye corrected her and gave Jenny a sidelong glance. "You guys are on the top of the guest list, of course."  
"Have you set a date yet?" Dee asked.  
"We're thinking December..." Tom started, but Faye cut him off with a cold look.  
"_No_, Tom. I told you we won't have a date until I've sorted out some personal issues first." Faye snapped. Her scowl melted into a pleasant warm smile when she looked at the others again. "But you're all invited either way."  
"Well, it's long overdue if you ask me." Audrey said while fishing out toys from the designer bag at her feet. "You've been together for long enough."  
"And how far are you from sorting out your personal issues?" Julian asked boldly, winning surprised looks from everyone.  
"Well," Faye said slowly, shifting awkwardly under the stunned eyes fixed on them. "That depends on you, and Jenny, and some other... factors."

Julian arched his eyebrows and a look of total impatience spread across his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Faye beat him to it. She put down her drink and was out of her chair in the blink of an eye.

"Do you really want to get into this right now? We'll talk _later_." Faye snapped.  
"They have a right to know what's going on." Julian said indifferently, folding his arms across his chest.  
"What...what are you talking about?" Jenny asked uncertainly.  
Faye looked at Jenny with obvious contempt before frowning up at Julian. "Don't be an idiot. What the heart doesn't know won't hurt it. Besides..." Faye glanced around uncertainly. "They'll find out sooner or later. But not today, alright?"  
"Yes, Master," Julian said mockingly, and Faye stared at him for a long moment.  
It looked like Faye was about to choke him, but she took a slight step away from him instead and disappeared into the villa, leaving everyone in confusion.

**Ooo888ooO**

_**A/N: My mindset is still the same as my previous note states. If you don't review, I assume no one is reading, which doesn't make this worth writing. And thank you to those of you who have left reviews thus far :)**_


	10. Sharing secrets

"Julian, what was that all about?" Jenny asked quietly.  
Julian's arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her against him, but the usual comfort Jenny found in the motion was tainted with doubt and suspicion.  
"Nothing to worry about," Julian answered.

His answer miraculously satisfied everyone, but Jenny exchanged worried looks with Tom. She stepped away from Julian and excused herself. The villa was quiet when Jenny stepped back inside and she'd just set upon the task to find Faye when the doorbell went off.

Jenny caught herself halfway upstairs and carefully descended the stairs. She glanced around her while strolling toward the door, wondering if it had been a mistake to invite Tom and Faye after all.  
She opened the door, and mustered a small smile when Summer came waltzing inside with a sleepy Samantha in her arms.  
"Hi, Jenny. Good to see you! Everyone in back?" Summer called over her shoulder.  
"Yeah." Jenny answered vaguely when Summer was already halfway to the backdoor.

Zach appeared a minute later, arms loaded with a baby bag, a bottle of juice and what appeared to be more salad.  
"Hey, you look flushed," Zach's smile faded into a frown of concern.  
Jenny stepped aside and shook her head, looking away. "Oh, it's the heat."  
"Okay." Zach didn't look convinced, but he let it slide.  
Jenny was about to close the door when Zach turned slightly. "Hey, your friend is still outside."  
Jenny frowned and watched Zach disappear through the sliding doors leading onto the back veranda. She turned back to the door, momentarily confused. Was he talking about Faye – but why would he refer to her...

Jenny stepped outside and looked around. She froze when her eyes rested on the figure leaning against one of the cars, and she backtracked several steps before he noticed her.  
When those eyes rested on her, Jenny became immobile. She wanted to scream for help, but her voice came out a feeble cry. "Julian!"

The boy didn't approach her as slowly as he had that first time, but there was still an uncanny grace in his step that was albeit alluring and alarming. His hands were hidden in the pockets of the grey hoodie he was wearing, despite the immense heat of the afternoon.

"What is it that keeps you here? Is it fear," his voice was as cold and ominous as Jenny remembered. "Or is it curiosity? Or perhaps... perhaps it is... temptation."  
"_Julian!_" Jenny's voice gained strength although she still couldn't move.  
The guy smirked. "Calling on that pathetic excuse of a being, are you? Ironic how you would seek protection in that which is created to destroy."  
"Leave me alone," Jenny said in a whisper when he stepped right up to her.  
"It is not you that I am interested in." His fingers lingered only inches from her chin, and even though he didn't touch her, Jenny felt an unseen force tilting her chin up and she was forced to look him in the eye.  


"Just go away." Jenny said weakly.  
Fear was turning her body numb, straining her every muscle until she wanted to collapse into unconsciousness. His hold over her was massive and frightening.  
"You are indeed a foolish girl to think a creature like him could actually _love_ you." The guy sneered down at her. "You're only human. Prey... a toy to play with; a hobby to pass the time. Well, I suppose he's grown _fond_ of you," the golden eyes flashed at her in amusement. "But not nearly as fond as he is of beautiful little Faye. Once he tires of you, he will return to her. He _always_ does."

Jenny's shock at his words shook her from the trance, and she stepped away from him wearily. "Julian won't grow tired of me. He loves me. I don't need to prove anything to you."  
"Ah, but my kind live forever whereas yours die every day."  
"Julian isn't like you."  
The guy looked genuinely entertained and smiled at her. "He's always been good at... withholding information. That is his winning trademark; that is what aids in making him an ideal hunter. Not that he's any good at hunting – you're still alive."

"I was wondering when you'll decide to show your ugly face again."  
Jenny jumped when Faye suddenly appeared beside her. "It's very daring of you to pitch up here of all places, Gahiji. You've surprised me once again."  
"Faye," Gahiji's smile turned nasty.  
"Go inside, Jenny." Faye said.  
Jenny didn't need to be told twice. She rushed through the villa, out the back door, and flung herself into Julian's arms.

**Ooo888ooO**

Faye and Gahiji watched Jenny disappear through the front door. Faye wrapped her arms around herself and turned back to the shadow man. She cocked her head to the side and surveyed him through narrowed eyes.

He looked as beautiful as he had that day when he lured her into the magic store. Young, with stunning features, and those fiery eyes still held their power of mesmerisation. Faye didn't flinch when he turned his intense gaze on her, and their eyes locked. The world around them melted away; the cars were replaced by tents and stalls, the grass beneath her feet turned to concrete, and the villa vanished.

Faye dropped her hands onto her hips and looked from side to side. The scenery around her was familiar – she'd seen plenty of kids chased by cannibalistic clowns through the Shadow Park in the past. She frowned lightly and tilted her head back to stare up at a starless twilight sky.

"You..." Gahiji said.  
"I have the answer to your riddle," Faye cut him off, ignoring the sudden flash of dangerous anger across his face.  
"Do you now?"  
"You said you'd share your little secret with me if I gave you the answer." Faye stepped closer to him. "If you lie to me, I will know."

Gahiji seated himself on a wooden bunk and crossed his legs. He motioned with his hand that she continue, but Faye only stared back at him.  
"We have all the time in the world, so please, don't rush." Gahiji gave her a daunting grin. "If you don't have the answer, do tell. I have a sideline game we can compete in..."  
"It's darkness." Faye made a brief gesture at her surroundings and looked at him expectantly.  
Gahiji inclined his head in a gesture of acceptance."Your shadow boy will not win. It is not _just_ a game. The child will be ours." Gahiji said with malicious glee.  
"That's not fair play." Faye pointed out.  
"I am not one for fair play, not when it concerns that..."  
"Okay, I get the picture," Faye said and frowned. "What do you want with the kid? Do you just want to torture it, or are you going to eat it?"  
"It is a portal."

Faye went cold at his words. "What are you talking about?"  
"The child is of our lineage. We are its ancestors, and it will have to obey our laws. It will be earthbound by blood; it will be our portal to your world." Gahiji stated simply. "Oh, you might think it will refuse to do our bidding, but you are wrong. Once we gain the child, it will be moulded to serve us only."  
"Are you serious?" Faye snorted.  
Gahiji responded with a cunning smile.  
"Moulded? Gahiji, this child will be human too..."  
"It is a hybrid. It will endure more than the human body is capable of, I am sure."  
"Okay. Fine. Whatever," Faye shook her head and blew out her breath. "How the hell do you manage to walk around in broad daylight anyway?"  
"What the hell does that matter?"  
"When are you planning on having this little masquerade of yours?" Faye asked instead.

Gahiji burst into laughter – cold, infuriated, maniacal laughter that crashed around her like falling icicles. The next second, Gahiji was gone, and Faye was standing alone on the front lawn outside the villa.  
"Fun, fun, fun," Faye muttered.

**Ooo888ooO**

"What's wrong?"Julian asked the moment Jenny stepped out onto the veranda.  
Jenny rushed toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She buried her face against his chest - it was all she could do without breaking into tears.

"What did you do?" Tom demanded.  
Jenny looked up, startled and confused at Tom's strange accusation. But Tom wasn't looking at her – he had seized Faye by the elbow and was about to pull her back into the villa, but Faye shook him off with an odd expression on her face.

"I didn't do anything," Faye frowned at him, then turned her attention to Jenny. "Are you okay?"  
Jenny managed a slight nod, caught off guard by the genuine concern Faye showed toward her so suddenly.  


"Good. We'll have a chat a little later. No more interruptions until the barbeque is over." Faye nodded with satisfaction.  
It took less than an hour for the awkward atmosphere to dissipate, and before Jenny knew it, she was seated at the dining table surrounded by laughter and a mouth-watering feast spread out in front of her.

Her heart started to flutter excitedly when Julian caught her eye. There was question and encouragement in his gaze, and Jenny knew it was her cue. She licked her lips and took a deep, calming breath before rising out of her seat.

"Can I have your attention for a minute, guys?" Jenny called out.  
She was pleased to find that all conversation died down without her needing to repeat herself. Everyone was looking at her, and Jenny nearly lost her nerve.  
"Ah... well, thanks for coming. I'm glad you could all make it." Jenny started.  
"Oh, no, you're not immigrating overseas, are you? This is how Dee started to break the news to us..." Summer gasped.  
Faye waved Summer silent with an impatient frown. "Hush, let's hear it."

"Well, no we're not moving anywhere," Jenny said reassuringly and straightened herself. "The reason why we brought you all here today is to share some good news with you." Jenny sucked in a deep breath. One glance at Julian's encouraging grin was all she needed. "We're four and a half months pregnant."

There was stunned silence around the table for a full minute before exclamations of surprise and congratulatory wishes were cast toward them. Jenny's mother hugged her close, nearly in tears of joy. Once everyone had their turn to congratulate them and Jenny sat back down, the expected tidal wave of questions washed over them.  
"When are you due?"  
"When did you find out?"  
"Do you have any names picked out?"  
"Could we see the sonar picture?"  
"Do you have any cravings yet?"  
"What do you want, a boy or a girl?"  
Jenny had to admit that Julian was much better at answering most of the questions than she was, but the focus for the rest of the evening revolved around Jenny alone.


	11. Second thoughts

It was a beautiful night out, a perfect end to a not so perfect day. Jenny ignored the flicker of guilt as she hastily handed out hugs and smiles to her friends and family. She was so tired; all she wanted to do was crawl upstairs and sink into the soft comfort of her bed. She stood beside Julian, wishing them all a goodnight as her guests split toward their individual cars.

Jenny chewed her lip as the first two cars departed with her parents, and the Cohen family. She went still and turned to look when raised voices came forth from Tom's car. Dee shook her head and sent another wave at Jenny before she got in her car. Summer was cradling a sleeping Sammy on the backseat, and waved at them briefly as the car pulled away from the curb.

Zach, however, had slinked toward Tom's car. His voice floated toward Jenny, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Julian let out a heavy sigh beside her, and Jenny felt a wave of annoyance herself when Faye climbed out the car and slammed the door.  
"Just go, already! Get out of here!" Faye shouted and slammed both her fists hard onto the roof of the car. "Go!"

Jenny tensed when Faye actually kicked at the car door – not just a simple kick of frustration but one of genuine anger. In the streetlight, Jenny could see she'd left a dent in the door.  
Tom shouted something at Faye, and Zach backed off slightly. Whatever Tom was saying, it had to do with them because Zach turned to look right at her and Julian. There was an odd expression on his face, but he didn't intervene again. Instead, he got in his car and drove off without another word or glance at any of them.

Faye retaliated again, this time landing a kick on the window. The impact left a spider web of cracks in the glass. "I don't want you to get hurt, you idiot! Go home _now_!"  
It was at this point that Tom got half-way out the car and glared across the roof at Faye.  
"If you don't get in the car right now, Faye, it's over. I'm sick and tired of you hiding things from me. No, you know what?" Tom rounded the car, and Faye staggered a step away from him. "Take your pick, right now. It's either me, or him."  
Jenny thought she was going to be sick when Tom motioned toward them – no, toward Julian.  
"Are you totally mental?" Faye burst into laughter. "We're _engaged_, Tom. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"  
"It obviously doesn't mean anything to you, now does it? Why else are you so adamant to 'have a word' with Julian?" Tom snapped.  
"Tom!" Faye ran her hands through her hair, then helplessly threw her arms into the air. "Fine. Whatever, think what you want. I'm tired of always having to prove I love you." Faye said coldly.  
"You can pick up your things tomorrow morning. After that, I don't want to see you again." Tom retorted.

They watched Tom get back in his car and pull out of the complex with a squeal of rubber. Jenny watched his car disappear around the corner before turning to look at Faye. The girl really looked unaffected by what had just happened. Faye was leisurely stretching herself and gazing up at the sky. She shook her head and started toward them.

"What was that about?" Jenny demanded when Faye stopped before them.  
Faye arched an eyebrow at Jenny, before looking at Julian helplessly. "Do you get lip like this all the time, too?"  
"Not to the extent that you do, apparently." Julian turned to look at her. "What an idiot."  
"Couldn't agree more." Faye said.  
"Let's get inside."

"Wait," Jenny said angrily, following them into the villa. "Did Tom just break up with you? Because of Julian?"  
"It would seem that way." Faye said and flopped down on one of the couches. "But that's the least of our concern right now."  
"How could you even say that..." Jenny trailed off.  
"I heard what that dimwit was telling you this afternoon, Jenny." Faye said and looked at her steadily. "Don't believe a word he says to you. He's trying to turn you against us – he's just speaking gibberish."  
"You were listening?" Jenny asked and folded her arms across her chest. "How do I know you're not the one lying to me? He raised some really good points."  
"If you can't trust me, then trust Julian." Faye said, and noticed Julian's puzzled gaze. "Gahiji was here."  
"That explains it then." Julian glanced at Jenny and blew out his breath. "And?"  
"I think he's going to make the first move tonight." Faye wrung her hands together. "And guessing by the hints he's left thus far, it's going to be one emotional rollercoaster ride."

"That ought to be fun," Julian grinned mischievously.  
Faye frowned at him as though he'd lost his mind. "_Fun?_ You do realize we're in big trouble, don't you? No matter how _good_ you are at these games, Julian, it won't save us."  
"What a vote of confidence."  
"You're telling me Gahiji isn't skilled enough to turn a very hormonal Jenny against both of us? He's already got her head ticking in the wrong direction," Faye snapped.  
"Okay, just so we're clear on this, I control my thoughts." Jenny spoke up. "You don't know what I'm thinking, and neither does he."  
"Don't kid yourself. It's obvious you and Tom don't trust us." Faye rose to her feet angrily. "I don't _get_ you people! First you're all suspicious about us avoiding each other, and now that we're actually talking, you're convinced there's something going on!"  
"Simmer down, Faye," Julian stepped forward, ready to intervene if he had to.  
"There's just no winning!" Faye threw her hands into the air for the second time that night. She deflated and sank back down onto the couch. "Damn humans." She muttered under her breath.  
"That's saying a lot, coming from you." Julian remarked with a smirk.

Faye let out her breath and glared hard at him for a second. She turned to Jenny with a heavy sigh.  
Whatever she was about to say died on her lips at the deadly glare Jenny was giving her in turn.  
"I would suggest you get out of my house before I call the police." Jenny said coldly. "I don't give a damn about any games. For all I know, this _game_ is probably a facade for you to get closer to Julian."  
"What?" Faye frowned.  
"Why shouldn't this other guy be in on it too? To throw me off – no, I'm not stupid, Julian!" Jenny snapped when Julian started to speak. "It's obvious Faye has some hold over you. I'm not going to let her ruin us!"  
"So much for the heart to heart talk." Faye mumbled under her breath.  
"Jenny, there's nothing between us. Don't let Tom or Gahiji put doubts in your head..." Julian stopped short when Jenny clenched her fists and nearly stomped her feet.  
"Okay then. You said you don't lie, right?" Jenny demanded, and continued when Julian nodded. "Then answer me this; if I was to, God forbid, die before my time would you go back to her?"  
Julian blinked slowly and gazed back at Jenny for a long moment. Jenny had wanted a yes or no straight away, and his pause before answering sent her over the edge.  
"Okay! You, get out!" Jenny exploded, glaring at Faye and pointing toward the front door.  
Faye didn't budge, despite the obvious panic on her face. "Jenny, don't be crazy..."  
"Make her leave, Julian!"

Jenny turned to stare at him. Julian had his arms folded across his chest in a defensive stance and had his eyes closed. Jenny thought he hadn't heard her and she was about to repeat herself when Julian dropped his arms to his sides and looked at Faye dangerously.

"I'm not going. If you want to stand a chance with this thing, we need to stick together from start to finish. The last thing you want is to split us up, trust me on this Julian." Faye retorted at his stare.  
"Jenny doesn't want you here." Julian narrowed his gaze warningly.  
"Jenny doesn't know what the hell is going on!" Faye shot back.  
"What do you mean?" Jenny pounced, whirling on Julian. "You mean that even though I don't want her here, _you_ do?"  
"Of course he does! He's not an idiot – I have a better idea of what lies ahead than either of you..." Faye started.  
"I'm not talking to you!" Jenny nearly shouted at her.

"_Enough_!" Julian exploded. His voice cracked through the room like lightning, sending rolls of thunder vibrating through the walls. Something strange and menacing pulsed through the room for a second, chilling Jenny down to the bone and leaving her breathless.  
"That is enough," Julian repeated, his voice far too quiet in contrast to the outburst a second ago. "I will have none of this carry on. If it will set Jenny at ease for you to go home, then go home, Faye. We want her on our side, remember?"  
"It's no good splitting us up. At least if there are two of us, then Jenny won't be alone for even a moment, because that's all Gahiji needs. Just one minute to catch her alone." Faye protested.  
"Did you not just hear me?" Julian snarled, striding toward Faye on the couch.

Jenny rigidly watched as Julian yanked Faye to her feet and gestured angrily toward the front parlour. "You know the way out."  
Faye had gone a shade paler and staggered a step away from Julian. She rubbed her arms where he'd grabbed her, and Jenny wondered if Julian had actually hurt her.  
"Why aren't you listening to me? Julian, if Gahiiji gets his hands on her..." Faye said.  
"He won't."  
"Well, let's hope for your sake you're right." Faye bit each word off angrily.  
"Would you like me to escort you outside?" Julian took a threatening step toward her, but Faye didn't move.  
"I can't believe how... how _blind_ you are. You're playing right into his hands, you know." Faye said.  
"I'll take that as a yes," Julian crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, but Faye dodged his reaching hands.  
"I warned you." Faye shook her head.

Jenny watched Faye disappear around the corner. The front door slammed shut loudly, and then she was alone in the lounge with Julian. He turned to her, but Jenny's temper was still stoked. She turned her back on him and went upstairs, thankful that he couldn't see the tears running down her cheeks.

She closed the bedroom door and slipped into a pearl coloured silk nightgown. Crawling under the comforting covers, Jenny momentarily entertained the idea that she'd overreacted a bit. But it hurt that Julian had wanted Faye to stay. He needn't had to say it because Jenny could see it clearly.  
Jenny lay in bed, hugging the duvet to her chin and staring up at the ceiling for a long time. Morbid thoughts clamoured her mind, dwindling from the horrible scene downstairs back to the day when Faye declared she'd come to Earth to resurrect Julian.

Her mind wandered even further back, involuntarily digging up the past; Julian's mocking laughter, his threats while he held her and her friends captured in an alternate world, the tunnel of love and despair where he'd insulted and broken her friends right in front of her. The fear, the outrage of what he'd been doing, the disbelief that he'd wanted her, the hurtful consequences of his actions, the cold hard fury when he kidnapped her cousin and Tom.

Cold, capricious and deadly, a menace, evil wrapped in an angelic package – deceiving. Maybe he'd deceived her into thinking he'd changed; that whole sacrificing himself for her would have been a pretty neat trick. Which wasn't unlikely, Jenny reasoned. Julian was a trickster by nature...

Jenny turned onto her side when she heard his footsteps coming upstairs. She turned off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes. She heard him come into the room, and he attempted to talk to her, but Jenny adamantly didn't respond to him. With a deep sigh, she heard him step into the en-suite bathroom and close the door behind him.  
Jenny's dark memories and painful thoughts slowly withered away as the arms of sleep coaxed her into placid blackness.

**Ooo888ooO**

_**A/N: As I can't respond to people who are anonymous on fanfiction, I decided I'd put a little note in here to explain my line of thinking. Maybe Shadow Men weren't intended to be interested in the mortal body, but I got a different impression from the books eg. The corpse in the Shadow Park, the heads of PC and Slug, and the fact that Julian mentions there had been many others before Jenny, more beautiful (if they weren't interested in mortal bodies, why would Julian refer to others and even give a flying fart whether they were beautiful or not?) And on the topic of shadow men eating souls – they didn't eat Jenny's grandfather's soul. They wouldn't eat them if they could play with them instead, right? That's my excuse for having them eat the bodies and enslave the souls – pardon me if it's not exactly as LJ Smith portrayed in her books. **_

_**On another note – updates will be shorter from now on as personal issues sometimes dry up my creativity. Thanks for the reviews!**_


	12. Jenny and Gahiji

Something cold and wet touched her arm, ripping Jenny out of sleep. Her eyes snapped open only to be struck blind by oppressive darkness. It took her breath away, and instinctively her muscles tensed. She didn't dare move – and she waited. What she was waiting for, Jenny didn't know.  
To fall off a cliff, maybe. To hear Julian's voice. To see light come to life. To wake up.

_Wake up_, Jenny thought and tried to relax. It's just a dream...  
She'd been breathing shallow and fast before, but now Jenny took control of her reactions and calmed her breathing. She didn't realize how close she'd been to hyperventilating until the prickly sensation in her face subsided.  
Now that she was a little less dazed, her mind cleared slightly. Where was she?

_Nowhere, you're just sleeping_, Jenny thought to herself, but she knew better. She was awake, and this was real. She didn't want to believe it, but Jenny knew deep down it was the truth. She had to accept it sooner rather than later, because who knows where she was or what was watching her...

The thought that she was just lying somewhere, a prime target for whatever hid in the dark, was what got Jenny to impulsively move. She used her hands to prop herself into a sitting position, but while her right hand pushed against something hard and cold, her other hand pushed through air. She nearly toppled down from wherever she was but quickly recovered and sat very quietly, listening. She still couldn't see anything, and it scared her.

Jenny contemplated that she might be in the cave where she'd faced death all those years ago. She swallowed hard. She hadn't known how to get out back then, and she certainly wouldn't be able to do it without Julian's help.  
With a jolt of regret, Jenny wondered if Julian even knew where she was. Was he here somewhere too? Did he even know that she was gone?

She had to move. It wasn't logic reasoning with her this time. Her instincts were urging her into motion – she had to get away from this place right now.  
Jenny blindly felt along the cold hardness on her hands and knees. Get away, get away...

There was a sound like the fluttering of wings behind her, and startled Jenny picked up speed. A moment later she missed the ground and fell head first through the darkness. She landed with an echoing splash in shocking cold water that made her breath hitch. The coldness drove any lingering hopes that she was dreaming from her consciousness and she scrambled to her feet.

The fluttering wings behind her became louder as it got closer. Jenny suppressed the irrational need to curl into a ball and hope it won't see her. Instead she started running – she didn't know where she was running to, and it became harder to wade through the cold water as she ventured deeper.  
Jenny found it odd that the water didn't go any higher than her hips, and the stones underneath the water were treacherously slimy. She slipped a couple of times, but each time it only encouraged her to move faster.

Finally the sound of the wings died away, and Jenny found it disconcerting that after that all she could hear was the thumping of her heart against her chest, and the water rippling as she moved.  
She kept moving, frustration and fear pushing her onward. She stumbled over her feet and nearly landed face first in the murky water when she heard a light chuckle behind her.

When Jenny got to her feet again, she tried to run and slipped again. Her arms flailed to steady herself and miraculously found something solid to hang onto. Jenny gasped in relief as she steadied herself.  


A little shriek ripped free of her lips when hands suddenly closed around her wrists, and Jenny reflexively tried to pull away.  
"Hold on, now," the voice was eerily familiar, and Jenny knew who it was without needing to see him. "I think you're kind of lost, aren't you? Here, I'll lead you out of this mess."  
"Where is Julian?" Was all Jenny could think to say. She was helpless as he led her through the water. It was unnerving to be so vulnerable and reliant on someone who was your supposed enemy, but Jenny wanted to get out of there and he obviously knew where he was going.

A few minutes later the water receded around her and Jenny stumbled onto solid ground, but he didn't let her go.  
"Where is he?" Jenny demanded again.  
"Julian is having one hell of a welcome home party. I don't think he'd appreciate you crashing it."  
"I want to go home."  
He laughed at this. The darkness around them was suddenly disrupted with pools of dim blue light, and a minute later they were in a clearing with a far too big moon hanging above in the night sky. It illuminated everything around them, and Jenny managed to wrench free of his grasp.

"You want to go home?" Gahiji repeated and spun around to face her. His golden gaze turned her blood cold, and his hungry grin made her head spin in fear. "But then you'd be leaving Julian behind with beautiful Faye; abandoning him in the clutches of that witch. And who knows what she has in store for him – she was quite livid when she found out about you two. To quote her exact words, _how dare he sacrifice himself for some pitiful human_."  
"She's here too?" Jenny frowned.  
"Of course she is." Gahiji said and smiled in amusement. "Where Faye goes, Julian goes. Like a little puppy following its owner."  
"Where are they?"  
"That would spoil the fun if I just told you."  
"Could you just direct me in the right direction?" Jenny said, her fear fading into annoyance.  
"You don't need me to show you." Gahiji shrugged and stepped away from her. "You'll find them sooner or later."

Jenny blinked in surprise when he simply turned and walked away. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, playing with the idea to just follow him. Instead, Jenny decided to head in the opposite direction he had gone. She crossed the clearing and after marching along the outskirts of what might have been a forest cast in darkness, Jenny spotted a moonlit path and briskly followed it.

The path wound and snaked around trees and hills, becoming steeper and narrower as she went along. Jenny found it quite degrading to be walking in her nightgown. It clung damply to her and was stained with what she thought might be moss. It was only then that she realized she'd been in a swamp before. A shudder of disgust rippled through her as she rounded another bend. She just wanted to get to Julian. If she could get to him, she would be safe. To hell with Faye. She would get out of here with Julian, just the two of them.  
Jenny would make sure of it.

**Ooo888ooO**

"Are you awake?" Julian asked, pausing in the doorway of the room.  
Jenny's mood swings had been ridiculous as of late, and it was obvious her emotions had run away with her earlier that evening. He would excuse her for perhaps being exhausted after an eventful day, but Jenny was behaving so out of character that he sometimes doubted he knew her anymore.  
"Jenny? Will you talk to me, please?" Julian asked when there was no response.  


He knew she was awake. He could tell by her breathing; and by the faint but audible beat of her heart that sped up every time he spoke to her. He could also sense the vibes of anger coming off her. She wouldn't talk to him tonight. Hell, he wondered if she would even talk to him at all after what went down in the lounge.

Julian sighed in momentary defeat and stepped into the en-suite bathroom. The white marble tiles nearly blinded him when he flicked the switch on. Sending another glance at Jenny's form in the dark room, he kicked the door. "Nauthiz," he muttered under his breath as he watched the door swing shut.

The second the door locked in place, raw and furious power crashed into the four walls, destroying everything and eradicating gravity itself. The tiles cracked and fell from the plaster; the mirror exploded into a million reflecting shards of glass; the basin toppled right off the wall and heavy porcelain scattered across the floor. The ceiling began to blister, melt, and drop in long streams like pale custard around him. The water pipes burst and like quicksilver, the liquid swirled and streamed suspended in mid-air.

Frustration bubbled up inside of him and caused the debris around him to begin a dangerous spinning display. He could never truly let go; he couldn't release the pent-up energy and emotion boiling underneath his skin. It was the fifty-fifty deal he'd had to live with ever since Faye resurrected him.

It was a week after they'd moved into the villa, and they'd been watching reruns of Tales from the Crypt when Faye suddenly turned to him. "_It won't be easy for you. You might kill yourself – again – for Jenny's sake. So... if you ever feel the need to... you know... then come to me. I can help."_  
Of course, Julian hadn't understood what the hell she'd been on about and he'd chosen to blatantly ignore the moment, but now he knew full well.

_If you ever feel the need to..._ vent, discharge, unleash. He wanted to give release to the burning force rushing through his veins; he needed to let it out of his system. It was slowly breaking him down, devouring him from the inside, maybe even killing him. Every fibre of his body ached with the desire, but he simply couldn't oblige to his body's needs. If he did, he would destroy the world; he would contaminate the oceans, kill every plant and tree, break down everything fertile and life-giving until the only living thing would be disease.

If he let go, he would kill Jenny.

It was the only reason why he hadn't yielded to the... temptation. As far as he tried to stray from the dark and unnatural, and as good as he was at feigning normalcy, he couldn't get rid of the writhing beast which hungered for chaos and destruction within him. He could contain it, restrain it, control it – but he could never truly be free of it.

Julian flexed his muscles and ran his hands through his hair as he scanned the floating debris around him. If Jenny could see this, she'd be gone in the blink of an eye. Without a second thought, without regret, she would run. Julian didn't know if he would chase after her again. She would never really love him if she knew the truth; she would never accept his true nature. Hell, not even he could accept what he was anymore.

"_You cannot save me from myself_." His own words echoed tauntingly through his mind. Oh, Jenny was good enough to try, strong and courageous and determined to be the victor. But she'd wanted to save him, she'd demanded to know why he didn't change himself if he had the power...

She'd wanted him to change. Shifting into different masks had been child's play for Julian – but to actually change his nature was beyond his ability. Jenny wouldn't understand that. She wouldn't accept it.

Julian slowly let out a deep breath. Control. It was all... about... control. He turned toward the door, and with the simple motion the bathroom seemed to suck in its breath. The tiles were back in place, the mirror whole, the water gone, the ceiling smooth, the basin restored; nothing left behind to testify of the chaos that had taken place a moment before. Gravity weighted down on him and grounded him once more.

The magic spell of restraint that sufficed for temporary sound-proofing was broken the moment he turned the doorknob. It was as he was opening the door, however, that a tearing sound echoed through the room. It shook the walls and seeped into his bones. Without thought or hesitation, he threw the door open and quickly stepped into the bedroom, hoping with all his being that his gut instinct was wrong.

It wasn't. The veil between the worlds had been opened; the bed was empty and Jenny was gone. Beside the bed, something black and shapeless hovered. The air itself seemed to ripple around the shape, emitting familiar vibes that were meant as warning for others, but tugged at his very core and lured him toward it.

Julian didn't waste time. It was without question a trap setup for him, but he would deal with the consequences once he was on the other side. The voice of reason was muffled under the intense rage and murderous thoughts dancing through his head. _They have Jenny._

The thought was still screaming inside of him after stepping through the portal and smack into the middle of a ferocious and hungry mob of powerful deformed corpses waiting for him.  
"Welcome back."  
"We've been waiting for you."  
"And now you're here..."  
"Kill him..."


	13. Back to the Shadow Realm

Faye didn't know how much more of this she could take.  
She knew she was in trouble the second she stepped outside the villa. Instead of walking out into the crisp night air, she was thrown into a seething storm of mist and shadows. She'd never been good at navigating her way through the shadow realm, and it was pure luck that she recognized the arching silhouette of Julian's lair through the thick swirling fog. She would have dismissed it as another jagged mountain head, if it hadn't been for the sweet crushing wave of familiarity the outline stirred inside of her.

Faye was surprised she got there in one piece. The wind struck her like a metal whip, and the cold slowed down her thinking and threatened to affect her body in a painful way.  
She heard the shadow men in the icy wind, their voices drifting and hissing. For a few seconds, her mind stalled and her body responded to the noise like it never had before. She became immobile, her blood froze, and she thought her heart nearly stopped beating. Paralysed in fear, Faye thought.

But as frightening as the scenery and noises were around her, memory kicked in and spurred her back into motion. Maybe she didn't know exactly where she was, and the thick fog made it nearly impossible to see, but she used to travel across these plains without trouble. She'd done this before and survived – she would do it again.  
Her feet beat across the snow with startling velocity. She managed to dodge and swerve when the ground would seem to rise and fall like an ocean, and she stumbled on occasion only to steady herself again.

She reached the lair sooner than she'd expected and nearly broke her nose when the entrance suddenly appeared right in front of her. She slammed both her hands against the smooth wooden door and pushed. An unseen force hung inside the walls, and Faye struggled to get the door open. She heard a feral snarl close behind her, sending a surge of adrenaline up her spine.

The door reluctantly opened under her touch, barely far enough for her to squeeze through but she managed to get inside. The door slammed shut the second she was inside and Faye leaned weakly against the wall, gasping for breath. Her lungs were on fire from the blistering cold air, and her legs gave in beneath her. She sank to the floor and sat there for a long time as she tried to catch her breath and think.

She hoped, oh she hoped Julian would have the sense to come here. It was the only place of safety in this hellhole for any of them. His elders couldn't get in even if they drafted up an army.  
Faye swallowed hard and hauled herself to her feet. She slowly walked over to one of the windows and peered outside at the misty storm. She could see the odd shapes of the shadow men, some moving in distorted ways, others almost too fast for her to see. Red eyes pierced through the wall of whiteness every few seconds, a pair here, another pair there – like red Christmas lights flicking on and off in random space.

There was nothing for her to do but wait. She would be dead if she dared set her feet outside again. She watched lightning streaks of green and purple light the twilight world every couple of seconds, turning the landscape into a disturbing rave of shadows and monsters. Faye wrapped her arms around herself and gritted her teeth as cold shivers danced through her.

All she could do was wait – but she could do something constructive while she waited. She'd vowed to make sure Gahiji got what he deserved. She would get that ball rolling now, and hopefully be done with it by the time Julian showed up.  
She only hoped he would show up with Jenny at his side.


	14. Fading blindness

Her legs were screaming in opposition to the heavy strain of the steep footpath she was following, but Jenny didn't stop walking. She had only one thought replaying in her mind – find Julian. Finding Julian would mean safety, and security, and no more fear.

She tried to ignore the cold wind that chilled her still damp nightgown. She didn't want to worry about getting sick, or about the matter that her physical strength was very quickly depleting. _Just find Julian.  
_

Jenny stopped when she rounded another rocky corner. She studied the rock wall closely and frowned deeply. Why did this place look so familiar? Had she been here before?  
Her heart started a sick thudding when she looked across the path from the wall and noticed a cluster of four beech trees. She spun around, looking this way and that as the awful truth began to set in. She _had_ been here before – she was going in circles.

The reality of it crushed her determination and Jenny sank down against the rock wall. Lifting her arms to shield her face, hot tears began to run down her cheeks. "I can't believe it. This is hopeless." All she wanted was Julian. She would almost give anything just to hear his voice, to feel his arms around her, to...  
"I'd say so, by the looks of it."

Jenny's head snapped up. She scrambled to her feet and wiped away her tears, glancing from the familiar smirking face before her, to look for the one face she'd hoped to see.  
"Where's Julian?" Jenny asked and sniffed as she hugged herself.  
"He's where he belongs." Faye stepped into the moonlight and flashed a wicked smile at Jenny. "I thought I'd come check on you to see if you're... well. Okay."  
"Well I'm _not_ okay." Jenny snapped. "I'm cold, and I'm tired. So can we go?"

"Go where?" Faye arched her eyebrows. "Aren't you enjoying the scenic route?"  
"Take me to Julian," Jenny said and nearly broke into tears again. "_Please_."  
"Now, why would I do a thing like that?" Faye's smile didn't waver and it was beginning to unnerve Jenny. "He's free of you for once – give him a break, Jenny. You know... the only reason why he's with you is because you provide a temporary thrill. You're toxic to him, you're death to him. See, he doesn't really _love_ you. You're just a..." Faye spread her fingers as she thought for a moment. "You're just a game to him – something to conquer, to use, and then dispose of."

Faye laughed maliciously when Jenny put her hands to her swollen torso and went ghastly pale.  
"You're lying," Jenny said, her voice tinny to her own ears.  
"What other use could he have with you?" Faye giggled and did a little pirouette before turning back to Jenny with a smirk. "We needed something that can carry the burden of our future. I sure as hell wasn't going deliver the next generation of darkness. No, Jenny, _you_ were the perfect specimen."  
"You're not really Faye." Jenny said weakly. Everything about the girl just seemed so wrong.

"You wish." Faye snorted and all amusement fled her expression. "You need to get your facts straight, Thornton. Julian has always been mine. There are no ifs or buts about it. I'm his kindred soul, his counterpart. His soulmate, if you like. We hunt together, we feast together, we compete together, we reside together. Because like myself, Julian is and always will be a creature of the darkness."

Jenny stumbled away from her, shock etched onto her features. "You're... no... Julian isn't like that. I _know_ he's not like that anymore. This is some sort of trick, isn't it? You're trying to turn me against Julian, aren't you? Well, you can just go to hell."  


"Where do you think we are, Jenny? Paradise?" Faye burst into laughter. "Besides, why would I give a damn whether you're for him or against him? He's definitely not on your side, I guarantee you that."  
"Go away!" Jenny exploded with raw emotion.

Faye mockingly held her hands up in surrender. "As you wish. You might like to come stop by for tea a little later. You might be famished by then – and we wouldn't want to starve our little critter, now would we?" Faye pretended to poke at Jenny's stomach, but Jenny staggered away from her. "You're going the wrong way, if that helps any. Retrace your steps, Jenny. You might actually get somewhere then."

Jenny watched Faye disappear into the shadowy forest. She stood like that for a long time, trying to make sense of what was real. Now that Faye had almost tauntingly admitted there was something between her and Julian, Jenny found that her suspicions had transformed into denial. She didn't want to believe it was true. It _couldn't_ be true. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

Retrace your steps. Jenny turned in the direction she'd just come. Logically, she thought she would only end up going in circles again, but here anything was possible. She wanted to hit Faye; she wanted to scream out her frustration and hurt, and cry all the same.

But here anything was possible. It was possible that it hadn't really been Faye. It was possible that it was another shadow man, most likely that Gahiji character, pretending to be Faye to turn Jenny against Julian. Then again, it could be possible that it actually was Faye.  
_I'll believe it when I see it_, Jenny thought grimly. She hoped she wouldn't see.


	15. Just a little kiss

The landscape was an ocean of snow and ice, shifting and moving all the time. Julian walked across the white waves with practiced ease, crunching his knuckles as his anger grew with his every breath.  
It was ridiculously easy getting out of the so-called trap awaiting him. His elders hadn't expected him to use brute force straight away, perhaps having been fooled with the delusion that he'd let his guard down and adapted to the human level of thinking.

They were in for a rude awakening.  
Julian recalled his elders always having had the upper hand in games; deceiving, treacherous games in which he mostly came out the winner. As good as he was at games and practising gamesmanship, this wasn't a game anymore. His elders didn't have the intention of toying with him, but killing him.

He'd momentarily blinded them with a powerful flash of Kenaz, giving him the split second chance to change his position from hunted to hunter. If there was one thing Julian was flawless at, it was hunting. He'd never hunted his own kind before, and it went against the gridlines of his world. But Julian had never really conformed to their expectations.

Unleashing his hunter's instincts had been invigorating. He cut his opponents down, one by one, spilling blood and breaking bones until finally he was the only breathing thing standing amidst the pool of shredded body parts.

Of course, it had only been a handful he'd destroyed. There were millions of others roaming the elemental landscape – none that he could lay eyes on as his feet found their way. The rest undoubtedly viewed the damage he'd done and decided to steer well clear of him. Still, Julian waited for the slightest of movement to catch his attention – with his predatory senses on high alert he would attack on brute instinct.

Breaking into Gahiji's lair brought forth nothing of value to him. Jenny wasn't there. He'd have obliterated his elder's lair if he'd had the time, but he needed to find Jenny. His next stop was the Shadow Park, and he headed straight for the mine ride. There were no collapsed caves, though, and no trace of Jenny anywhere.

Cursing under his breath, Julian made his way to his lair. His head was spinning with possible solutions to try and locate her in this black pit. He stepped into his lair and froze in the doorway when he heard a soft gasp.

"Faye?" Julian squinted at the familiar face. She seemed fragile somehow, leaning against the window, staring at him with round eyes and with no colour in her face. He was startled to see her, and with it he felt a fleeting sense of guilt. He hadn't even thought about her since she left the villa – he'd been too caught up in Jenny.

"Are you alone?" Faye whispered.  
"Yeah, I think so." Julian glanced out the door and over his shoulder, before looking at her in confusion.

"Okay, we've got to get going right now." Faye seemed to shake herself and seized him by the arm, dragging him back out into the cold.  
"I need to find Jenny."

"Yeah, that's what we're doing." Faye glanced at him worriedly. "You're not losing it, are you?"  
"I've already tried looking for her. We need to..."

"We need to suss out where she might be. Using magic as a resource won't help with finding her, Julian. You ought to know that – Gahiji will have anticipated that move already and taken precautions. He doesn't want us to win, so he's taken every possible measure to make sure we don't." Faye chided angrily. "Get with the program already."

Julian pursed his lips grimly as they quickly walked along. The silence between them was distorted by the howling wind and the soft roaring sound of the earth moving beneath them.  
"What's the plan of action? Walk around aimlessly and hope we find her per chance?" Julian finally said, his voice angry and bitter.  
"Where's your head at, _aljunnu_?" Faye snorted. "Really, if you're trying to pull off being an idiot, you're doing a splendid job."  
"Then what are we doing, Faye?"  
"Patience, my dear, patience." Faye sighed heavily. "Just trust me on this, alright? I think I know what I'm doing."  
"Oh, you think?" Julian snapped.  
"Hey!" Faye spun around to face him and jabbed a finger at his chest. "I've been around this place a good few centuries longer than you have. Give me more credit, damn it, I'm not completely incompetent."

Julian sighed deeply and held his hands in surrender. Faye glared up at him for a moment longer before turning and resuming the brisk pace at which they'd been walking.  
"It would help if you could tell me how walking around will find Jenny." Julian said after a few minutes of silence.  
"If we find Gahiji, we find Jenny."  
"Oh. It's that simple, is it?"  
"Pretty much."  
"And how do we find Gahiji?" Julian arched his eyebrows in question.  
"For a hunter, you really suck at tracking down your prey." Faye glanced at him sharply, and Julian returned the look evenly. "I'll find him."  
"_You'll_ track down Gahiji?" Julian repeated with a snort.  
"Yes. I've done it before, I can do it again."  
"Well then, lead the way, your highness."

Neither of them spoke again for a while. Along the way, Faye was startled to notice that she was no longer cold. It had been freezing before, but as they walked she'd gradually become warmer and warmer. Only then did she notice she was wearing a hooded cloak in the deepest of turquoise, and matching gloves made of fur or wool, she couldn't tell which. The cold still prickled her face but the rest of her was securely wrapped in warmth.

Faye sent a thankful glance at Julian, and for a fleeting moment their eyes met. There was something in those blue eyes, something that tickled her curiosity and sent a forbidding siren through her at the same time. It was a peculiar look, one that made her doubt herself. And doubt him too. Faye sucked on her lip and glanced away nervously.

"Hey, you know..." Julian started in a tone of voice Faye found completely alien to the way he'd ever spoken to her before.  
She tensed and looked at him uneasily. "Could we do this some other time?"  
She knew what he wanted to say, and by the surprised look on his face, she could tell he knew she'd caught on. Faye had been dreading this conversation since the day she first laid eyes on him, and it had been haunting her endlessly.  
"I thought now is as good a time as any." Julian frowned.  


"Well it's not." Faye snapped and tensed when Julian halted in his tracks, glaring at her. "_Aljunnu_, come on, man! We can't do this right now. Not _here_ of all places! We need to find Jenny, remember?"

"You can't run from me forever."  
"I'm not running from you." Faye puckered her lips and wrinkled her nose in disdain, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.  
"Then why won't you just face me?" Julian demanded.  
"I _am_ facing you."  
"Fine. You want to do this some other time?"  
"Well, I don't want to do this at all to be quite honest..."  
"Then we'll do it, as soon as we get out of this hellhole. We have to talk about this, and we will." Julian narrowed his gaze when Faye opened her mouth to protest. "Even if I have to tie you down interrogation style, we _will_ talk."  
"This is why I hate you." Faye pointed an accusing finger at him as she brushed right past him.  
"You've said as much before." Julian said behind her.  
"Are you coming, my pet?" Faye shouted sarcastically over her shoulder.  
"Don't mess with me." Julian said quietly, suddenly appearing beside her.  
"I wouldn't dream of it." Faye muttered and sighed heavily.

The landscape seemed to stretch on into infinity – it would have been a hopeless case to try find anything in the fog if you didn't know where to go or what to look for. They kept glancing at one another on the walk – Faye nervous, Julian angry.  
"I don't ask things from you, do I?" Faye suddenly broke the silence between them.  
"Apart from having the irritating ability to summon me." Julian said coldly.  
"But I've never actually _asked_ you to do anything for me, right?" Faye ignored his sarcasm.  
"No, you haven't. I'd like to keep it that way." Julian said dangerously.  
Faye paused and turned to him, sliding her hands into the coat and patting down her pockets.  
"I think you'd be more than happy to oblige, Julian. All I need from you is a little kiss of magic," Faye said and went pale at the expression crossing his face. "Oh, for crying out loud, you moron! Don't _look_ at me like that. I'd hit you if I could, I swear..." Faye shook her head and brought forth a small cube in her hand.

Julian looked from her face to the cube. He picked it up between a slender forefinger and thumb, turning the small object this way and that as he studied it. It was surprisingly heavy for such a small object. Unlike the multi-coloured rubics cubes on Earth, this one was midnight blue all around with black runes engraved on each individual block.

"It's got a lid, see," Faye said, and Julian was intrigued as she lifted the top half of the cube.  
There was nothing on the inside. Yet.  
"Very clever, my girl," Julian said, taking the lid from her and replacing it. He gave it another once over and nodded, impressed. "I like the way you're thinking."  
"I thought you would." Faye beamed and placed her hands on her hips. "Well? I just need you to add a touch of your mojo to it, and it'll be good as gold. Not incantations, no chants. I'll just lift the lid and the rest is history."

Julian closed his hands around the cube. A bright flash of white and blue light seeped through his fingers. He handed it over to Faye a moment later, and they exchanged satisfied smiles.  
"I hope you'll be able to make the event." Faye said as she slid the cube back in her pocket.  
"I wouldn't miss it." Julian grinned deviously.

They continued walking once more, both excited and eager. Faye halted in her steps a short time later and stood very still, listening. She slowly turned her head from side to side, hesitated, then promptly changed their course.

A few minutes later, Julian could sense Gahiji nearby. As they continued on their path, the faint sound of Gahiji's roaring malicious laughter floated on the wind toward them. It was whisked away into the stormy weather a second later, but they were on the right track and closing in.  
Faye broke into a full out run when the shape of an icy dome loomed up ahead of them. Julian was right behind her as she burst into the dome. They paused to catch their breath, observing their surroundings as they did.

It looked like an igloo, the round walls made of large ice bricks and the floor of pale blue marble. There was a bar, and several tables and chairs scattered about – everything carved of ice. It reminded Faye of the ice hotel somewhere in Switzerland, or the Five degrees bar of ice where they served vodka on the waterfront in Auckland. With the slight difference that there was an enormous wall of crystal ice dividing the large space in two.

And there, seated across the room from them on the other side of the wall, was Tom and Jenny. Faye blinked hard and frowned, squinting at the scene before her. She took a shaky step backward and closed her eyes. There was a sudden ache in her chest, deep and strong. It threatened to consume her entire being and for a moment, she thought she might actually faint.

When her legs buckled beneath her, Julian was there in an instant to steady her. Faye looked up at him dazedly, wondering if any of it was real. She wanted to ask him, but Julian was looking toward the other side of the room with a very unpleasant look in his eye.  
"What the hell is this?" Julian breathed angrily.

Faye forced herself to look at the scene again, and nearly choked on her breath as her heart painfully convulsed. Time seemed to stop, and she was caught in the horrible moment of watching the first boy she'd ever loved betray her.  
It was definitely Tom. Without a doubt, without question – and he was definitely kissing Jenny. A long, sensual kiss that made her want to poke her own eyes out to rid her of the vision.  
"It's not real." Faye whispered, pronouncing the words the voice of reason was almost screaming in her head. _Take everything with a pinch of salt_, Faye reminded herself through the sickening haze of heartache. Gahiji was out to get them, and what better way than to play on their emotional fears?  
It was an illusion taken from her mind; or maybe it really was Tom and Jenny, caught under the manipulative influence of Gahiji.

Either way, the scene burned into her memory, and Faye felt the threads of control being cut one by one. She couldn't do this. Having relived her mother's murder not that long ago, had knocked her down and left her weak. And now, watching Tom betray her; taking her wounded heart and smashing it into irretrievable pieces...  
Faye turned her face away from the scene and closed her eyes. _And Gahiji's only getting started_, a little voice whispered in the back of her mind. Faye tensed at the realization. She wasn't going to make it through this.  
The 'game' had barely begun and she had already reached her limit.


	16. Betrayal

Jenny was happy she was alone. Walking across the chilled gravel path downhill was easy, and she allowed her mind to drift. She was glad Audrey wasn't there, and Michael, because she wasn't sure they would be able to cope with this. Jenny wasn't even sure that _she_ was coping.

And Summer. Jenny was glad Summer wasn't there; she'd always been someone Jenny felt obligated to protect and defend, but in the current circumstances the only thing Jenny needed to worry about was herself. To get food into her rumbling stomach, to get water before she completely dehydrated, to get warm. She wouldn't have had the ability to worry about the safety of the others.

Not that Jenny would have minded having Dee on her side. She could use her friend's positive attitude, because Jenny couldn't see anything positive ahead. She was being led on this path, and she was helpless but to follow. She couldn't do anything else. Straying off into the dark forest around her didn't seem an appealing or smart alternative – she could barely see a few feet through the dense vegetation.

Jenny wouldn't mind Zach being with her either. He was always reasonable, calm, and logical. He'd been that way ever since they were free of the last game of chase. But then, Jenny mused miserably, there would be no guarantee that he would have stayed sane throughout this whole venture. Julian had gotten Zach to believe he was crazy before – even if he had done it unintentionally – there was no reason why this new shadow man wouldn't be able to succeed in doing that as well. Jenny herself thought she was slowly going mad in this place.

It was so eerily quiet. There were no crickets, no bats – not a sound except Jenny gasping for breath every few minutes. Her feet made no noise on the ground, and not even the wind through the leaves seemed to have sound.

_Creepy_, Jenny thought and hugged her arms to her chest. She just wanted to get out of here. Maybe it would have been good to have company after all, she thought. Even having Tom on her side would have been better...

Jenny stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes went round when she spotted a figure up ahead in her path. She couldn't tell if it was male or female by its silhouette. It sat on a cluster of rocks on the side of the path, long legs extended in front and directly in her path.

After a few more minutes of hesitation, Jenny crept closer, sticking to the shadows as best she could without tumbling right through the dense forest. Her heart slowly started to beat again, and she found she could breathe as she closed in on the figure. There was something familiar about it...

Something slimy and soft squished beneath her foot, and Jenny leapt back into the path with a faint cry. She stood, staring at the darkness, heart thudding in her chest as she tried to calm herself down.  
She froze and realized her mistake when she turned to look at the figure. It had noticed her, its head turned toward her.

"Jenny, is that you?" The familiar voice was all Jenny could bare and she broke into tears, rooted to the spot.  
"Tom?"  
He rose swiftly from his position and walked toward her. Moonlight reflected off his clothes – the same he'd been wearing earlier at the barbeque – and his face was pale and strained.  
"Jenny, are you okay?" Tom demanded, hands firmly seizing her shoulders.  
"We need to get out of here, Tom," Jenny sobbed.

"Yeah, we will," Tom gritted his teeth and shrugged off his jacket. He put it around her shoulders, and Jenny hugged the warmth appreciatively to her. "You're freezing!"  
"How did you get here?" Jenny asked and wiped at her tears as another fear set in. "What about the others? Are they here too?"  
"I don't know, I haven't seen anyone." Tom replied quietly, then looked around with a deep frown. "Why isn't Julian with you?"

"I..." Jenny sniffed and looked around too. Why wasn't Julian with her? It was painfully clear, Jenny slowly realized. They'd been split up. This was why Faye had been so stubborn to stay the previous night, Jenny thought wistfully. She'd known the end result would be devastating if they were split up – and now they were. Jenny didn't know where Julian was, and she didn't even know who Faye was anymore.  
"We need to find him." Jenny finally said to Tom.

"Right. Okay, well let's get going then." Tom said and turned in the direction Jenny had just come.  
"No, it's this way, Tom." Jenny said and watched him turn to look at her.  
"No, it's not. I've just come from that direction, there's nothing there." Tom shook his head.  
"It's _this_ way, Tom. Going that way doesn't get you anywhere – I've been walking in circles for forever until Faye told me to retrace my steps." Jenny said with a slight frown.

"Wait – Faye is here?" Tom's face went a couple of shades paler still.  
"Well... I can't be sure it was Faye. It might have been anyone, but it had her face and her voice." Jenny shifted awkwardly under his shocked gaze.

"What?" Tom crunched up his face, then shook his head angrily. "None of this makes sense."  
"I know." Jenny agreed quietly.

Tom didn't argue again and they started downhill together; Jenny hanging onto Tom's arm for balance and strength, and more importantly for warmth.  
"Do you have any idea what we're doing here? Did Faye bring us here, or was it Julian?" Tom asked along the way.  
"I don't know if it was either of them anymore. There's this other guy, Gahiji... I think he's Julian's elder. Or he was. I don't know what he is to Faye, but she said he's after the baby." Jenny pursed her lips and looked at Tom worriedly. "I think she said he might try to turn me against them. Against Julian and Faye, I mean."

Tom didn't say anything for a while as they walked on in silence. Jenny didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't even know if it was really Tom next to her. Nothing could be trusted here, Jenny thought grimly.  
"So..." Tom glanced at Jenny after a little while. "Just brainstorming here... maybe this guy wants you against Julian and Faye because they're the only ones who can really provide any protection against him."  
Jenny thought it over and felt a veil slowly begin to withdraw itself as clarity seeped in. She nodded quietly, and Tom continued.

"Maybe they want to kill the baby as a means of revenge, or," Tom said to Jenny's horrified stare. "It could be that they want the baby so that they could make some sort of trade."  
"Like what kind of trade?" Jenny frowned worriedly.  
"I don't know. Maybe they want Julian back, or maybe they want Faye back." Tom shrugged and sighed. "Like I said, it's just brainstorming, Jenny. We won't have any answers until we ask the right people, but anything will do to try make sense of this."

"Well," Jenny licked her lips wistfully. "They don't need to try so hard to turn me against them. You broke up with Faye because of Julian, and Julian..." Jenny trailed off when a lump formed in her throat and she looked away.  
"Look," Tom said gently. "Maybe we should rethink things. I mean, for one – has either of them ever given us reason to suspect there was something more going on? Let's just try get a different perspective on this. Let's pretend," Tom swallowed hard. "Let's pretend that we didn't know where they were really from, pretend they were strangers to us from the word go. Same situation, but without the whole... shadow thing. Would we have been so insecure about them if things were different?"

"Probably not," Jenny answered without thinking, and blinked at Tom. "But let's face the reality, shall we? Faye told me she created Julian because she was lonely."  
"So there's definitely an emotional bondage there then." Tom sighed after a moment.  
"Well, yes. But then she also told me she wasn't mad when I 'took' him away from her. " Jenny said and arched her eyebrows when Tom shrugged. "Do you see the flaw?"  
"Ah. She wasn't mad?" Tom said, confused.  
"Of course she was mad! I'd be pretty pissed off – I _was_ angry when she took _you_ away from me. How could she _not_ be angry about it? Besides, Gahiji told me that Faye was furious when she heard Julian sacrificed himself for me." Jenny fumed. "I mean, she might very well have a personal vendetta against me. She has every reason to."

"No, she doesn't." Tom frowned. "It's not _your_ fault he was obsessed with you, Jenny. You didn't do anything wrong. It was all _him_."  
"Maybe she doesn't see it that way." Jenny said softly.  
"Look. We'll find them, both of them, and we'll demand answers. We'll get this cleared up, once and for all, okay?" Tom said, determination in his stride.

Jenny nodded mutely, lost in her own morbid thoughts. Tom yanked her to a halt a moment later, and Jenny looked up. Ahead of them, the gravel path and forest disappeared, replaced by nothing but thick snow and swirling mist. A yard into the snowy landscape, something like an igloo stood out above the horizon.

"I guess that's where we need to go." Tom said and seemed to brace himself. "Come on."  
Jenny let him lead her across the snow as fast as she could go. The snow burned, and by the time they stumbled into the igloo-like dome, Jenny's feet were numb of all feeling and her skin was adorned with angry red patches.

Jenny sat down on a couch covered with thick soft fur, startled to find it was pleasantly warm inside the place. Tom stood and observed their surroundings, and walked up to a wall. He knocked his knuckles against it, then thumped it with his fists. Jenny took note of their surroundings as well. Everything appeared to be carved of glass, or ice, Jenny wasn't sure which. Beautiful, but daunting.

"Hey!" Tom shouted suddenly, and Jenny scrambled to her feet.  
"What is it?" She asked nervously, hiding behind him.  
"It's Faye – it's them. Hey!" Tom shouted louder, hammering on the wall.  
Jenny stepped around Tom and blinked in surprise. It _was_ Faye – dressed in a beautiful coat, a bright smile on her face. Jenny felt a pang of relief and happiness when Julian moved into her line of vision, and she thumped her own fists against the wall. They found them, they were safe. Now they could get this sorted and go home...

"They can't hear us." Tom hissed angrily and frantically waved his hands to catch their attention, to no avail.  
"I don't think they can even see us," Jenny said after a moment, frowning as she pushed at the wall with no effect.

"Finally," Faye's voice drifted toward them, slightly distorted as though the sound was coming through a wall of water instead of ice.  
"Why can't they hear us?" Tom frowned and again called out to them.  
Jenny stopped her attempt to gain their attention when Julian's voice floated past Tom's shouts.  
"I'd say. It's been long enough."  
Jenny's mind froze over, and her heart nearly stopped. _What?_  
"Ah, it's good to have you back." Faye said, smiling seductively when Julian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

Tom's voice died away and he took a shocked step away from the wall, staring.  
"Not saying that Tom and Jenny weren't fun to play with, but..." Faye trailed off.  
"We have more fun together."Julian smirked, and Faye giggled.  
"How long do you think we should let them last?" Faye asked.  
Julian groaned and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. "Who cares? They'll meet their demise when they do – there'll be plenty of others in future anyway. I'm fed up with Jenny and Tom. I _want_ your attention," Julian pulled Faye tightly against him. "Right here."

"Got it," Faye beamed up at him, running her hands up and down his muscular arms.  
Jenny tensed, unable to tear her gaze away. She had to get away. She had to get away from this... she had to...  
Jenny slowly backed away from the wall. She didn't stop until her legs made contact with the couch, and she sank into it weakly. No. No, no, no...

"It was killing me, being away from you for so long..." Julian's voice crushed the air from Jenny's lungs and brought stinging hot tears to her eyes.  
"Of course it was. You and I belong together. Fire sides with fire; darkness reigns in darkness. We're birds of a feather, Julian, we are destined to be together." Faye laughed heartily and slid her arms around his neck.

Jenny wanted to look away, but even through her blurry vision she couldn't. She was transfixed, wrapped in a cocoon of disbelief, and shock, and excruciating pain – and betrayal. She couldn't look away when Julian lowered his head and his lips met Faye's. She couldn't, but Tom could.  
Tom spun away from the scene and slowly walked over to the couch. He sank down heavily beside her, hanging his head in his hands. Jenny stared when they finally broke the kiss after what felt like eternity to her, and they stood in one another's embrace, murmuring sweet intimacies that fuelled the pain inside her chest.

"Tom... do you think... that's really them..." Jenny whispered, her voice trembling and slightly squeaky. She thought she might be on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Oh, if she lost her mind now...  
Tom slowly looked at Jenny, and for a long moment they stared at each other. Tom didn't seem to be able to look in their direction again, and he wrapped his arms around Jenny and pulled her into a comforting hug. He didn't need to answer, because Jenny knew he was thinking the same thing she was. It was real. It was real – but it was too hard to voice it.

"We'll get out of this place, Jenny. Together, just you and me, and we'll never have to look back..." Tom's voice was hoarse.  
The hot tears streaming down her face was nearly suffocating her, and Jenny hugged him back tightly before slowly pulling away from him.  
"They don't know we saw them..." Jenny started, furiously drying her tears and glaring toward the wall.  
Julian was looking toward them, and Jenny's words ran dead when she met his gaze evenly.

**Ooo888ooO**

**A/N: Last update for the week. The emotional bits are from the women's POV, because...well, who wants a self-pitying Tom and pouting Julian...hmm, on the other hand, a pouting Julian wouldn't be THAT bad, heh heh.  
I hope my loyal readers are enjoying it so far – I'd hate to disappoint! Please, reviews are welcomed! Let me know your thoughts, suggestions, what you'd like to see happen and what you wouldn't want to see happen. BTW, for anyone who cares – credits to my reviewers are on my bio so check it out.**


	17. Faye x Julian

Faye was still clinging to Julian, her face turned away from them, and Julian was supporting her. But there was a different expression crossing his face as he held Jenny's gaze; something like fury swathed his features and his eyes turned cold, sparking with something vicious and ugly.

"How could you? You bastard! You lying, cheating bastard..." Jenny leapt to her feet, finding strength she thought she no longer had.  
Faye's head whipped around to look at her. For a split second, Faye looked completely bewildered.  
Julian reacted then, pulling Faye behind him as he walked right up to the wall. He pushed at it with one hand, paused, and rammed his fist into it. Jenny cringed at the cracking sound it made, but the wall stood solid.

"Stay away from me! I don't... I don't want to... I _hate_ you!" Jenny shouted at him furiously.  
Julian paused on the other side of the wall, looking steadily at Jenny.  
"That's all I've ever been to you. Just some _damn game_, and I'm _sick_ of it! He was right. Gahiji was _right_ when he said you'd go back to Faye. I should have listened." Jenny's voice broke at the last words.  
"What did she say?" Faye's voice came through loud and clear from behind Julian.  
Julian's shoulders sagged for a moment and he hung his head, slowly looking from one end of the wall to the other; taking precise note of every crack and groove in the ice.  
"I _hate_ you. You _lied_ to me." Jenny's anger was running away with her now. She didn't care. Anger was better than pain; anger gave her the strength to stand, to speak, to _breathe_. "I will never forgive you for this."  
"Jenny." Julian's voice was indifferent as he looked right at her.  
"I... if it wasn't for this wall... I'd kill you with my bare hands!" Jenny stormed up to the wall and gave it a feeble kick where Julian's shins were on the other side.  
Julian heaved a sigh, and Jenny's eyes went wide when the wall suddenly slid open before her. The ice scraped across the floor with a grinding squeal. She blinked in surprise, and staggered back a couple of steps when Julian came toward her.

Tom had risen to his feet and stood glaring at them.  
"Don't even think about denying it. We saw you." Tom said coldly.  
"Deny?" Faye peeked at him and Jenny from behind Julian, her eyes rimmed with red and slightly bloodshot.  
"You saw _what_, exactly?" Julian demanded, folding his arms across his chest.  
"Don't play dumb, asshole. We saw you kissing. We heard what you said." Tom growled.  
"Sounds like you saw pretty much the same thing we did." Julian said and made an elegant gesture toward the wall, as though he was advertising it. "It's a _verborgen spiegel_."  
"I knew it." Faye mumbled from behind him, and Julian cast a glance over his shoulder at her.  
"A _what_?" Jenny said, tense when Julian advanced another step toward her.  
"It's an inner mirror. One that, in this case, reflects your deepest insecurities and fears." Julian said and his eyes softened when he looked at Jenny.  
"And you expect us to just believe that?" Tom snapped.

"Let's say that _if_ I'm wrong, I will kill _you_ in the slowest, most painful way imaginable." Julian said, his voice cold and his gaze deadly.  
"I believe you." Jenny said quietly.  
He glanced at her, and frowned lightly when Jenny avoided looking at him. "I promise you, Jenny, I will not let this slide. I'll make that scum pay for this."

Faye strolled toward Tom and gently pushed Julian aside.  
"I _meant_ Gahiji." Julian said.  


Faye glanced at him with a frown. She shook her head, and stepped right up to Tom. She lifted her hand, and with her index finger she poked him in the cheek. Tom frowned at her in response. She poked him against the neck next, and then in his side. Tom grasped her hand and stepped away from her, frowning deeply.  
"What are you doing?"  
"I'm making sure you're real." Faye said as though the answer was quite obvious.  
"Yeah, I'm really here." Tom said.  
"Why?" Faye demanded.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I _sent_ you home, Tom. To keep you safe – how did you get _here_?" Faye wrenched her hand out of his grasp and hugged herself, staring at him with wide eyes.  
"I don't know. The last thing I remember was taking the elevator up to our floor, but when I stepped out on our floor, I stepped right into a forest." Tom explained and his anger submitted to worry when Faye bit her lip and tears filled her eyes.  
"Are you hurt?" Faye asked quietly.  
"No. We're both okay," Tom glanced at Jenny, and turned to Faye uneasily. "Are you okay?"

Faye hesitated and closed her eyes. She slowly shook her head.  
"I have to get out of this place." Faye said softly, drawing in a deep breath.  
"Yeah, we will." Tom said gently.  
Faye shook her head sharply and turned toward Julian. "Take me home. Right now."  
Julian looked back at her, startled for a split second before his eyes cleared. He didn't respond.  
"_I want to go home_." Faye snapped, glaring at him. She was struggling to restrain herself from... from what, Faye wasn't even sure. Hitting him, or throwing something at him.

"If it were that easy, don't you think we'd be home by now?" Julian said softly.  
"What's the point in having all that power if you can't even put it to good use?" Faye said through her teeth.  
"Faye..." Julian said quietly.  
"I have had enough." Faye said in a trembling voice and she pinched her eyes closed.  
Tom stepped up to her side, and tried to put his arms around her, but Faye wrenched herself out of his reach and stared at him. "Don't touch me!"

"Faye..." Tom said, confused and worried.  
"If you ever touch me again, I swear, I'll get Julian on your ass so fast you won't know what hit you!" Faye growled angrily and she gave him a dagger look.  
Tom's gaze darted from Faye to Julian and back. "What..."  
"_You_ left me, remember? You broke it off, Tom, because you're so damn stupid." Faye cut him off bitterly. "Yeah, there's nothing between me and Julian – _big surprise_."  
Tom fell silent, and a pained look crossed his face.  
"You closed the door on me. You didn't trust me. Maybe I should give you a real reason not to trust me..." Faye said angrily.

Faye advanced a step toward Tom, but before she could do anything, Julian stepped between them.  
"Okay, time-out." Julian said, and his face hardened when Faye lashed out at him.  
Jenny took a startled step toward them, a silent 'stop' on her lips. Long ago, Dee had tried to physically attack Julian and ended up on her backside. It was insane that of all people, _Faye_ would try to do the same thing.  
Her blows never hit their target, and Faye stood trembling and glaring up at Julian as he held her wrists captive in his hands.

"You need to calm down right now." Julian warned.  
"Take me home!" Faye snapped.  
"Get a hold of yourself."  
"_I can't do this_!" Faye shouted angrily, trying to pull away from him. "Let me go! I can't do this, let _go_!"  
Julian didn't budge.

"Whose side are you on?" Faye exploded furiously. "I am _ordering_ you to _let go_!"  
Faye yelped when his grip tightened, and she started her struggles with renewed strength.  
"I hate this place. I can't take it – I'd rather die than get stuck here again." Her anger had quickly folded in on itself, and real panic traced her features as she stared wildly at him.  
"You're not _stuck_, Faye. We've got Jenny, and Tom, and now we will find our way back to Earth. But before we can do that, you need to calm down." Julian tried to reason.  
"Gahiji won't let us go free." The fight fled out of her then, and Faye stood rigidly as she absent-mindedly looked at Tom.  
"So you'd rather just give up without trying?" Julian said angrily, and dropped her hands as though they burned him.  
"There's only so much a person can take." Faye said and gingerly rubbed her wrists. She turned her gaze from Tom and watched Julian walk a few steps away from them. She glanced at Jenny's pale and worried face, and wondered what psychological side-effects this would have on her.

All heads swivelled in one direction when a loud crashing noise slammed into the walls. Faye narrowed her gaze and watched Julian angrily kick over another chair. It fell and sent chunks of ice skidding across the floor. Faye clenched her fists, his anger provoking her own temper.  
"Would you like to take this outside?" Faye snapped, and Julian whirled on her.

Jenny recoiled at the anger flushed across his face. In all the time she'd known him, Jenny had never seen Julian get worked up to this extreme, and it scared all logic and reason from her mind. She slowly stepped away from the two former shadow people, who were glaring at one another with such fierce rage that Jenny was afraid they would launch at one another like wild animals.

"Would you?" Julian snarled right back at her.  
A cold chuckle bubbled forth from Faye, and Julian's face turned stone cold.  
"I've been through enough, Julian." Faye said softly, a peculiar look in her eye. "I'm tired of this – _all of this_. I never did anything to deserve this, you know."  
Julian glared at her in response, and Faye sighed deeply.  
"And now? Now, I'm right back where I started. Nothing to lose, nothing to gain." Faye shrugged sheepishly. "I really don't care about what happens to Tom, or to Jenny. You are my golden ticket out of this place, Julian. Now take me home."  
"Are you out of your mind?" Julian snapped.

"If you don't, then I'll damn well negotiate with Gahiji – I'll do anything to get out of here."  
"Bullshit." Julian retorted and seized her by the shoulders before she could strike out at him again. He shook her lightly, a flash of genuine concern flitting through his eyes. "Look, Faye. _Focus_. We won't get anywhere at this rate. You need to let the past stay where it belongs."  
"Kinda hard to do when Gahiji throws it in my face." Faye offered a tight smile.  
"I need you, Faye." Julian dropped his voice to a whisper and leaned in closer to her, his gaze piercing as he searched her face. "I can get us out of here. I won't leave you here, I promise. I need you to trust me and work with me."  
Faye stared back at him blankly before his words slowly began to make sense in her mind. He needed her. Faye didn't think anyone had ever needed her before.

The fact that it was Julian saying those words to her, cut through the wall of threatening numbness and insanity creeping up on her. Hearing it from _him_ was... freaky. Faye stepped out of his reach, and shook herself.  
"Okay, I'll try." Faye said with a frown. Hell, anything just to get him to stop looking at her like that.  
Julian straightened and turned back to the others. "We need to keep moving. If we can shake Gahiji off our trail, we'll get out of here sooner."

Julian had his arm securely around Jenny as he led the way out of the icy room. The moment they stepped outside into the blistering cold, Jenny discovered to her surprise that the cold didn't bite into her as it had before. She tried to make sense of it and looked at the swirling fog around them. The wind still rippled against her nightgown and tugged at Tom's jacket around her shoulders. The weather didn't look like it had changed any, but then how come she was suddenly so warm?

Jenny shifted the sudden pang of fear aside when she recalled Gahiji's words. Julian was one of _them_, he'd said. _My kind live forever_. Now that Jenny had a better idea of what this guy was capable of, she would have dismissed everything he said as gibberish.  
She _would_ have, if the memory of a private conversation between herself and Faye didn't float to the surface of her thoughts. _ Julian is different. He's always been different._ Faye's voice was a haunting memory in the back of her mind, and Jenny swallowed down the irrational hysteria threatening to bubble up in her chest. Did that mean Julian _wasn't_ human? What else could she possibly have meant by different...

Jenny bit her lip nervously when Julian pulled her a little bit closer to him. The moving ground was disorientating and frightening – she kept expecting to sink away into the whiteness with every step. She hesitantly looked up at him. He looked wrapped in his own thoughts; brows knitted tightly together above luminous blue eyes fixed straight ahead. He didn't look worried, however.

Jenny looked over her shoulder at Tom and Faye trailing close behind them. They walked at a slight distance from one another, neither speaking nor looking at each other. Jenny sighed deeply and looked ahead again. She couldn't see more than a couple of yards ahead. She was afraid they were lost, and she subconsciously tightened her grasp on Julian's arm.

Julian paused then and turned Jenny to face the other two.  
"He's stalking us." Julian said, his voice quiet but the words clear.  
Tom stopped and squinted out into the mist. Faye did the same, and for a moment they just stood in silence, staring blindly around them.  
"Is he in hearing range?" Faye asked suddenly.  
"Not yet." Julian said.

" Let's head for familiar territory. We're prime targets out in the open like this." Faye said and wrapped her arms around herself. "The Renaissance room is our best bet to get home quicker with less disruption...and less opportunity to get sidetracked."  
"We'll take the eastern route – it's the shortest path there." Julian nodded.  
"No, no. I'll take the eastern route. _You_ take the western route." Faye shook her head.  
"That will take far too long to reach the... what do you mean _I_ will take the western route?" Julian frowned. "You're not suggesting we split up?"  
"Gahiji wouldn't expect us to, and it might actually confuse him long enough for us to get to safety. With us," Faye stepped forward and linked her arm through Jenny's pointedly. "I of course mean, me and Jenny."  
Julian didn't seem to like the idea, and Jenny thought he'd put up an argument. She certainly felt much safer with him at her side, despite everything else.

What protection could Faye give her – Jenny didn't think she liked the girl, and she was starting to wonder if the feeling was mutual. But Julian cast one glance toward the side, and nodded in quiet acceptance.  
Without another word, Julian detached himself from her and Jenny was firmly steered in the opposite direction by Faye.  
They walked at a brisk pace, and Jenny fought to keep up. The warmth she'd felt before was quickly evaporating into the freezing snow at her feet, and the air burned her lungs as she gasped for breath.

"Come on, Jenny. I know it's tough, but you can do this," Faye said when Jenny tried to dislodge herself from Faye's iron grip.  
"Why did you split us up?" Jenny panted tiredly.  
"Strategy. Gahiji is more likely to follow Julian because he doesn't think Julian would leave your side. We've got a head start of five minutes, if we're even that lucky." Faye said, breathing hard and tugging Jenny back into motion. "But we need to keep moving, okay? If he realizes what's going on, he's going to be pissed off his little mirror trick didn't work its magic on us."  
"That's all it really was? Just a trick?" Jenny said through gasps of breath.

"Yeah." Faye said and gave Jenny a sidelong glance. "I know it wasn't easy for you to see... well, whatever you saw. It was pretty hard for me to watch, too. And yeah, I'll admit it, I kinda nearly lost my mind back there. I mean..." Faye paused as she climbed onto an outcrop of ice and helped Jenny up. "First there was my mom – and she's gone. And then there was my dad...well, I don't really give a damn about him actually. And then there was Tom, and he pushed me away. And let's be real – you don't like me, I don't think you ever will like me. I don't even think the others like me... I don't know, maybe they just indulge me because of Tom, or because of Julian..." Faye fell silent as they walked along a narrow path with two enormous white mountains rising on either side of them.

Jenny felt slightly claustrophobic as they quietly crossed the path. A few minutes later, Faye paused and tugged Jenny through a gaping black hole in one of the mountains. For a second they were lost in darkness, and Jenny thought she might actually break down and start screaming. She's had enough of dark places to last her a lifetime...

Light flared to life in front of her, and Jenny allowed Faye to lead the way through the winding tunnel. She was stunned half of the way, trying to figure out how Faye had gotten a torch out of nowhere.  
"How did you get that?" Jenny finally asked dumbly.  
Faye looked at her, puzzled. "Get what?"  
"The fire." Jenny nodded at the torch in Faye's hand.  
"Oh. Just a little trick Julian taught me. I was forever getting lost here, and with plenty of black holes like this one, I was bound to need light some time or the other. A little precautionary measure, I guess." Faye answered vaguely. "Don't worry, we're nearly there."

For a while afterwards, the only sounds around them were their footsteps echoing off the round walls and the crackling of the fire.  
"You know, I really love Julian." Jenny said tentatively.  
"Good." Faye said.  
"And I _am_ expecting his child."  
"Which is one of the reasons why we're stuck in this hellhole."  
"Okay, Faye. I think I have a right to know the truth." Jenny halted in her steps, and Faye spun around to look at her.

"What are you doing? I told you, we need to keep moving." Faye snapped and nearly dragged Jenny behind her.  
"Is... just tell me, is Julian... is he still a shadow man?"  
"Jenny, seriously, I think you'd better focus on getting the hell out of here before even playing with the idea of crucifying him." Faye retorted sharply. "Your baby should be your first priority right now. Do you get it? You can worry about Julian later."

Jenny didn't say anything again after that. Faye didn't give her a direct yes or no, but Jenny caught on. It stirred a world of new emotions inside of her. She didn't know heads from tails anymore, she didn't even know how to react or feel about it. Scared, angry, hurt? She couldn't differentiate between any of it.

They broke free of the tunnel quite abruptly, and Jenny couldn't help but stare at their surroundings as Faye pulled her along. They were out in the open, walking across a level beach. A moon hung above the horizon and cast silver ripples across an eerily calm ocean. There were blue rock formations along the shore, curled and twisted and stacked in beautiful displays.

"It's beautiful." Jenny said, and frowned when Faye snorted.  
"Nastrond lies on the other side of this ocean." Faye said and looked at Jenny expectantly. "I used to think it was beautiful, too. Until I decided to try get a better view one day and I climbed up on one of those." Faye shook her head at the memory.  
"What did you see?"  
"Corpses. Lots, and lots of corpses. "  
"Of what? Animals... or people who get sucked into games?" Jenny asked, remembering PC and Slug's grotesque heads at the Shadow Park. She suppressed the vision quickly and looked at Faye instead.  
"No. People who play games here always end up either trophies or lunch. These corpses are of people who weren't able to get into Valhalla and Helheim. If you don't qualify, this is where they throw you. They, being the supposed gods." Faye sniffed and shuddered. "It's a pit of zombies. Pretty disgusting. Trust me, you don't want to know."  
"Probably not." Jenny said, feeling slightly sick.  
"Ah. I hate this place." Faye sighed angrily.  
Jenny sucked on her lip when the end of the beach appeared ahead of them. "Where do we go now?"  
"Don't worry, I know where we're going. Just trust me, alright?" Faye said.

Jenny bit back her words and obediently followed Faye across the beach. They stopped and stared at a grey mountain in front of them. It reached high into the sky, and as far as Jenny was concerned, there was no way either of them could climb up its surface. Faye paced back and forth for a few minutes, thoughtfully staring at the grey mountain face. She suddenly darted forward, and to Jenny's amazement, Faye wrenched a door open in the rock.  
"We're here." Faye looked at Jenny with a triumphant grin.  
Jenny wearily walked over. She surveyed the door as she went past, startled to find that it was an actual door. There were the definite grooves of the doorframe in the rock, and the doorknob itself looked like a slight outcrop from the wall. A mural, Jenny thought and stepped through the door with Faye right behind her. Like the one to the More Games store...  
"Looks like we just missed some party." Faye said.


	18. Jenny x Faye

Faye was right, and Jenny mused at their surroundings as she quietly walked further into the room. The ochre walls and crystal chandeliers gave the room a warm and glowing atmosphere. Long buffet tables were stretched along the walls, decorated with silver platters and golden candles. The faintly familiar notes of _Danse Des Mirlitons_ hung in the air like haunting echoes, only the music itself sounded wrong and slightly distorted. There was an eerie feel about the room – as though whatever had been going on had abruptly been cut off shortly before Jenny and Faye entered the room.

Jenny pulled the jacket closer around her, green gaze scanning the enormous room. It was a beautiful room, and she would have found the atmosphere comforting compared to what she'd been through, but there was a distinct stench hanging in thick layers throughout. It made her stomach churn, and Jenny fought the urge to gag.

"What is that?" Jenny choked out, and suspiciously eyed Faye who was using the collar of her coat to block the smell.  
Faye shrugged in reply, and drifted toward the farthest wall from the buffet tables. Jenny hesitated and sent another glance toward the tables. She probably didn't really want to know the answer. She turned and slowly followed Faye across the room.

Jenny remained standing uncertainly when Faye sat down in the corner of the room.  
"How long do you think it will take for them to get here?" Jenny asked, fighting off nausea and finally cupping her own mouth and nose to breathe.  
Again, Faye's only answer was a shrug.  
Jenny turned to face the room, and with a resigned sigh, she sat down beside Faye.  
"You know," Jenny forced herself to break the awkward silence between them. "The others really do like you, Faye. Dee, and Summer, and Audrey, and the rest."

Faye curled her legs up to her chest and buried her face in her coat.  
"They're not the type who would pretend. Especially not Audrey. You know she's never shy to express exactly what she doesn't like." Jenny tried again. When there was no response from Faye, Jenny licked her lips and nervously glanced at the door across the room. "Look. It's not you, personally, that I don't like. It's just that... Julian means a lot to me, and we've come really far from when we started. And maybe it's because I don't _know_ what exactly your feelings are toward Julian, or his toward you, that makes me insecure about your relationship."

This evoked a strangled chuckle from Faye. Jenny frowned and fell silent, observing the room for a moment before snapping.  
"Why is that so funny? Please, fill me in, because I'm obviously missing the punch line." Jenny scowled.  
Faye groaned softly and slightly shifted away from her.  
"Hey! I'm talking to you." Jenny said angrily.  
Faye finally peeked back at Jenny, a strange look in her eye that unsettled Jenny.  
"It's not funny. I'm sorry." Faye shook her head. "It's just stupid, is all."  
"What?" Jenny blinked, stunned at Faye's boldness.

"Well, see... it's complicated." Faye ran a hand through her hair distractedly. "As I said before, I created Julian because I was lonely. Well, partially. It was mainly because Gahiji was so ugly that I wanted someone else I could hang out with and not gag while looking at them. That guy really is a monster of note." Faye stared at the floor for a second before shaking herself. "I needed protection. Gahiji offered little in that respect, and it would have only been a matter of time before he decided to get rid of me."  
"I thought Gahiji created you." Jenny frowned, and Faye snorted.  


"Nah. It was my own clumsiness that got me where I was. You were lucky," Faye added with a sidelong glance at Jenny. "You were safe as houses from the start. If the elders didn't accept your uncle in your place, at least you would have had the security of Julian fighting for you. And Julian is really good at getting what he wants."  
"It was my grandfather," Jenny said meekly.  
"Right. Sorry." Faye pursed her lips. "Anyway. By law, Julian is bound to protect me and defend me. Because I'm his creator. Which totally works for me, because I need his protection nearly all the time. If Gahiji touched me, Julian would have had him in bits and pieces before he knew it. Julian knew it, I knew it, and Gahiji knew it. Not a very good way to spend the rest of eternity in pieces." Faye grimaced at the thought. "So I stuck to Julian's side as much as possible. I mean, I think he thought I was grading him on his gamesmanship and hunting skills, or something."

Faye smiled faintly and shook her head, glancing up at the ceiling and waving a hand across her face. "I think that smell is going to kill me."  
"Do you love him?" Jenny forced the words from her throat, despite the whisper of fear inside of her. It felt wrong to ask.  
Faye covered her mouth with an arm and blinked at Jenny in surprise. A second later, a deep frown creased her features.  
"I spent over a hundred years glued to his side, Jenny. What do you think?" Faye said indignantly. "Despite his ridiculous moods and his short temper, and always being right, and being a prick for rubbing that in my face, yeah I love him. I wouldn't be _here_ trying to save your pretty little butt if I didn't love him."

Jenny looked away at her words, staring toward the door. She wrapped her arms around herself to shield the blow of what was to come. There was no reason for her to doubt that this was real – that Faye was really Faye, and that this conversation was actually taking place. Next Faye would admit that Julian felt the same, or she would go into baffling detail about their past relationship, or...

"You need to understand, Jenny, that before I came to this black pit of sadistic monsters, I had no one. I had nothing to live for, and I was virtually alone. I had no family, no friends, no _life_. I was nothing, I meant nothing. I wasn't good enough for anything but being used." Jenny slowly turned toward Faye at these words. "I didn't even have a name when I was brought here. Yeah, a shadow man named me, how rich is that? I was alone back home, and I was alone here. So when I created Julian, he became everything that I never had and everything I've ever needed. Security, comfort - my rock. He's _my_ family, Jenny. He's all I've got, the only thing I've ever _had_. Hell yes, I love him. I would move mountains for him if I had to."  
Faye paused for a thoughtful moment. "Well, I'd give it my best shot, at least."  
"So you're more like... brother and sister, sort of?" Jenny asked lightly, confused.  
"If you like." Faye made a slight gesture with her hand. "He's got to feel _something_ for me. Else I'd be dead already."

Jenny didn't know what else to say. There were no more questions to ask, every doubt and suspicion she'd had before had evaporated at Faye's words. There were still some things that were left in the dark, like the reason behind them avoiding one another like the plaque. But it was like a veil had been lifted and everything else suddenly made perfect sense to her. It all fell neatly into place; why Julian acted the way he did around Faye, and Jenny realized with a pang that she'd simply been jealous. Julian was loving and at ease around her, of course, but when he was faced with Faye he just seemed to really come to life and unwind. It was because he'd been so familiar with Faye that Jenny had doubted him, and now she felt like kicking herself and ducking into a hole with embarrassment.  
She'd been way off track with her ungrounded assumptions.

Jenny looked up when the door swung open. She tensed, the sudden realisation that it might not be Julian or Tom crashing in on her. What were they going to do if it was one of those corpses Faye had talked about...

Jenny's gaze darted from object to object in her reach. She needed a weapon, or _something_ for protection. The only thing near enough was a metal chair, and she would have to run halfway across the room toward the door to get it. There was nothing else of use. There was a mirrored wall behind them, and nothing else in front of them that they would possibly be able to get to in time.

"Faye," Jenny hissed and nudged the other girl.  
Faye glanced at Jenny, then followed her gaze toward the doorway. A moment later, Faye was up and hauling Jenny to her feet.

**Ooo888ooO**

_**A/N: I almost didn't update this week. It's not much, but I'm working on the rest. There's a bit of a ... **__twist__** to come ;) Next update by next week Friday (IF we're lucky)**_


	19. The Yggdrasil tomb

Every part of her body felt like a deadweight and Jenny found it difficult to stand up, even with Faye forcefully tugging at her. Her senses had suddenly come to high alert; she could almost feel her ears twitching, every muscle turned rigid, her eyes widening as she stared at the figure coming toward them.

_The Grim Reaper_, the thought crashed into her with freezing force. Death was walking right toward her at a murderously slow pace. The figure was clad in a hooded ragged coat of mist and shadows and, as Jenny watched in paralysed terror, it brought forth a scythe. The blade glinted in the golden light, and frost clung to the edges.

Jenny could hardly breathe, her chest rebelling against the suddenly cold air around her. A scream caught in her throat and she was barely aware of the whimpering sounds coming from her lips.  
The figure's coat dragged across the floor soundlessly, until Jenny realized it wasn't touching the ground at all. It was floating.

"It's not Halloween yet, in case you haven't noticed." Faye's sarcastic remark startled Jenny slightly.  
The figure didn't respond and resumed its course. It was only a couple of feet away from them when Faye yanked Jenny back, gripping her hand firmly. Faye took a slight step forward, a scowl on her face.

"You should have known we wouldn't be stupid enough to fall for your little trick back there." Faye said coldly. "Don't come take it out on us because you underestimated our intellect."  
Jenny thought she might faint when a deformed hand protruded from within the folds of the coat. It looked like a withered old branch. She managed to pinch her eyes closed when it reached to lift off the hood.

"What makes you think I underestimated you?" The familiar voice sent chills racing down Jenny's spine. "I've come to make you an offer you can't refuse."  
"Not interested." Faye retorted curtly.  
"On the contrary," Gahiji chuckled coldly. "I believe you aren't doing too well, Faye."

There was no reply, and Jenny forced herself to peek at Faye. She'd gone pale and was adamantly staring to the side, her demeanour rigid and her grip tightening on Jenny's hand.  
Jenny sent a weary glance at Gahiji, disconcerted to find that his face was as flawless and young and handsome as she'd ever seen it, though his hands remained the same disturbing withered look.

"I have a proposition for you." Gahiji smiled coyly. "I think you would find it quite appealing. I can take you home, Faye. I can get you out of here, and you'll never have to look back."  
Faye looked at him then, and Jenny felt her heart freeze over. She didn't like the look on her face.  
"And why should I trust you?" Faye asked lightly.  
"I'm not saying you should." Gahiji said.  
"What makes you think I meant what I said? You don't really think I'd negotiate with you, do you? You're the one who sucked us into this hellhole." Faye frowned slightly.  
"Oh, you meant it. Every word." Gahiji narrowed his eyes at her.  
Faye took a step away from him, anger flushed across her face. "It was a moment of weakness."  
"You could have fooled me." Gahiji shrugged and his expression changed slightly. "All right, no free ticket out then. You're stuck here, because of course as you know, I won't let you leave here."  
"We're not stuck here." Faye's voice lost its strength.  
"We'll get out. Julian will get us out of here." Jenny said, and cringed when Gahiji looked at her.  
"Sure he will." Gahiji said.

"This isn't a _game_ – there are no rules, nothing for us to go by. This is nothing but a waste of time. We _will_ get out, despite what you may think." Jenny said with a burst of insane anger.  
Gahiji blinked at her and cocked his head to the side. He sent a curious glance at Faye.  
"As I said, you're stuck here. But I can offer you something that will make your stay a little more convenient than before." Gahiji suggested.  
"Oh, please." Faye muttered.  
"I can give you power."

Faye looked at him sharply. For a few moments they only stared at one another. Jenny shifted uneasily, and squeezed Faye's hand. She couldn't actually be considering it, could she?  
Faye glanced at Jenny briefly before narrowing her gaze at Gahiji.  
"Power?" Faye tested the word.  
"Like you wouldn't believe." Gahiji said enticingly.  
Faye tilted her head back and blew out her breath. "Well now, Gahiji. You really got me there. Hmm, power like you wouldn't believe. Sounds very tempting."  
There was a moment of silence before Faye pulled Jenny behind her. "Unfortunately for you, I'm nothing like my father. That's what you're going by, isn't it?"  
"Like father like daughter." Gahiji shrugged, flashing a sadistic grin.  
Faye let out a low whistle. "You're treading on dangerous territory."  
"Are you trying to threaten me? _You_?"  
"You know I can't do anything to you. But he sure can." Faye nodded in the direction of the buffet tables.

Gahiji turned, and Faye bolted for the door. Jenny didn't need to be urged to keep up with her. They burst through the door simultaneously, stumbling onto smooth sand.  
"Come on! _This way!_" Faye cried, and Jenny followed on her heels as they ran across the beach.  
They grasped onto each other when they threw themselves back into the thick darkness of the tunnel, stumbling as they ran along, breathing hard.  
"We're dead... we're dead, oh shit, shit, _shit_..." Faye was whispering hysterically as they bumped into outcrops and tripped over uneven ground.

"Stop _saying_ that," Jenny cried after a few minutes. The situation wasn't looking good, and with Faye freaking out she didn't think either of them were going to make it through this.  
"I can't help..." Faye started, and broke off in a genuine scream.  
Jenny lost her grip on Faye in the darkness, and there was the sound of shuffling and another scream from Faye. Jenny froze, staring blindly at the darkness around her.  
Then a familiar voice crashed in through her fear.

"Watch where you're going." Light flared up, illuminating the tunnel around them.  
Faye was leaning against one wall, staring with wide eyes. Julian stood with a torch in hand, a look of dismay on his beautifully featured face as he frowned back at Faye.  
"What was that..." Tom came up from behind them with his own torch, and blinked in surprise at Jenny and Faye.  
"You jerk. Why don't you just kill me already?" Faye shouted, recovering and shoving Julian angrily.  
Julian took a step to steady himself, and his gaze swivelled to rest on Jenny.  
"Are you okay? Why aren't you in the ballroom?" Julian pulled Jenny to him protectively.  
"Gahiji found us." Jenny said shakily.  
"So you were trying to outrun him?" Julian shot a look at Faye. "Why didn't you just stall him until we got there?"  
"I tried but... it kind of went a bit... wrong." Faye looked away moodily.  
"What do you mean it went wrong? What did you do?" Julian demanded.  


"_Nothing_! He was dressed up as the reaper – he freaked me out, okay." Faye mumbled. "It doesn't matter. We need another way out."  
"There's a doorway near the Shadow Park."  
"It's too far." Faye shook her head.  
"There's one in the paper house." Jenny said suddenly.  
"I don't think that..." Julian started, but Faye cut him off with a deep frown.  
"What paper house?" Faye demanded.  
The others exchanged solemn looks. Julian turned, Jenny right beside him, and they started to retrace their steps.

"Hey! What paper house? Julian, tell me!" Faye asked, trailing behind.  
"Never mind, Faye." Tom sent her a look after she repeated the question a fifth time.  
"No one ever tells me anything." Faye pouted.  
"You don't need to know everything." Tom said quietly.  
"Do, too."  
"Quit it, Faye."  
"You quit it, Tom."  
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you before."  
Faye fell silent, staring at him for a long moment as they ducked and dodged uneven sections of rock. "Where did that come from?" Faye finally asked.  
"I had some time to think. I was wrong, Faye. I'm really sorry I didn't listen to you." Tom struggled for words. "You never gave me reason to doubt you. I was just being stupid."  
"I'm glad you see it my way." Faye ignored the look Tom sent her.  
"I'll make it up to you. Once we get out of here, I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you."  
Faye didn't reply and kept her gaze on the rock walls, the fire light dancing and flickering against the deep purple soil. She turned her face away, hiding the involuntary grin playing across her lips at his words.

They broke free of the tunnel and sauntered across the snowy landscape once again. Faye didn't reject the motion when Tom put his arm around her while they walked.  
"Where are we going?" Faye called.  
"You'll see." Julian's response was impatient, and Faye didn't press the issue.  
Julian glanced down at Jenny worriedly. "Jenny." He said quietly.  
Jenny looked up at him expectantly, and felt her heart sink at the look on his face. "What's wrong?"  
"No matter what happens, Jenny, I need you to get to safety. I don't want you to worry about the others or about me – just get yourself out while you can."  
"Julian..." Jenny trailed off, feeling slightly sick. "What..."  
"Jenny, please. I can deal with anything, but I _can't _lose you. Do you understand? I need you to focus on _nothing else_ but getting yourself to safety."

Jenny nodded hesitantly as a new fear began to chew at her insides. The snow around them thinned out and turned into cobblestone. They started to pass by houses with an old English air to them; pretty but with a creepy feel to it.  
"Oh, I know where we're going now." Faye mumbled under her breath. She pulled Tom along as she hurried to Julian's side. "How do you know there's a door here?"  
"Didn't you know?" Julian asked, observing their surroundings with a deep frown.  
"Of course not. I didn't know there _were_ any friggin doors to Earth until Gahiji told me about your warped little games." Faye ran a hand across her face and sniffed. "So... what's this paper house story about? One of your games?"  
"Yeah." Julian said curtly.  


"A paper house." Faye said thoughtfully. "How did you get Jenny into a paper house?"  
"She was looking to buy a game, so I sold her one. Let's leave it be, all right?" Julian gave her a warning glance.  
Faye bit her lip, and after a moment snorted and swatted him on the arm. "She _paid_ for it? You're such a cheapskate."

There was a brief pulse of energy, fleeting and barely there but Faye picked up on it and respectfully fell silent. If he didn't want to talk about it, so be it. She was shaken up enough as it was, and to provoke Julian would be signing her own death certificate. They weren't in a good place, and Faye admitted to herself it wasn't the time to ask questions.

Jenny's grip on Julian's arm tightened when they turned and walked into an old cemetery. Her head kept snapping in every direction when she would hear the faintest of noise; a cool breeze rustling through the leaves of the giant oaks and sycamore trees lining the winding path. There were sounds like whispers, and every now and again she would catch something black and fast in her peripheral vision.

_It's just your imagination. It's a cemetery, it's normal to be paranoid in a cemetery_, Jenny reassured herself, yet she jumped at every shadow and sound they passed.  
Jenny licked her lips nervously when Julian stopped and turned around. He was about to say something when Faye let out a startled cry and nearly leapt into Tom's unexpected arms. There was a momentary pause of confusion before Faye recovered and furiously kicked at something hidden between the long grass along the path. Jenny squinted at something that was either a huge spider or, she shuddered at the thought, a hand.

Julian let out a snort and offered a mischievous grin when Faye glared at him.  
"Was that you?" Faye demanded.  
"I was defending myself." Julian shrugged casually.  
"Great. How many body parts do you think are crawling about the place now?" Faye grimaced. "I bet you the others put all their bits and pieces in the cemetery as a joke. Zombies and all... what do you mean you were defending yourself?" Faye looked at Julian again.  
"I had a welcome party waiting when I set foot back here." Julian said dismissively. "Look, there's a marble tomb up ahead with Yggdrasil carved into the door. That's the one with the doorway back home."  
"Julian, you're not leaving us..." Jenny started, but Faye cleared her throat and dragged Tom with her past Julian. She seized Jenny's arm and tugged her along a few feet. She yanked them both behind one of the big oaks, and they wearily peeked around the tree trunk.  
Julian was standing where they'd left him, moonlight illuminating him clearly. He was turned toward them, but he remained immobile. Faye crouched down and pulled the others down with her, motioning to them to stay quiet, and wondering if they could even see her in this darkness.

They waited. Jenny wasn't sure what they were waiting for, and she had to restrain herself from running toward Julian. The whispering sounds she'd heard earlier had increased in number, eliminating the possibility of it only being her imagination.  
Her breath caught in her throat when another figure stepped out from the shadows not too far from where they were hiding. Gahiji walked up to Julian, his steps slow with purpose. Instead of the Grim Reaper outfit, his dress consisted of a tight-fitting swallow-tailed gold coat that seemed to sparkle in the non-existent light; black kerseymere knee-breeches, black stockings and stumpy-looking pumps.  
"That witch was quite impressive tonight. She refused the easy way in every way - very unlike her." Gahiji's voice was lyrical, almost taunting. "I offered her freedom, and when she declined I offered her power. Which she declined... in the end. She was very difficult to negotiate with."  


Julian didn't reply, but his gaze was nailed on Gahiji's every move.  
"Now, I will be lenient. I will give you a choice, _boy_." Gahiji's voice dropped to a near growl. "One of you will remain here, despite the final destination of the others. I will not let all of you go."  
"You have no claim." Julian stated boldly, watching him with piercing eyes.  
"Not yet." Gahiji smirked. "I give you the choice of who will go and who will stay. Who will live, and who will die." Gahiji's face turned ugly then, his voice like creeping bugs. "Your love interest. Or your creator. Only _one_ will live."  
Julian's face was unreadable, his gaze cold and steady.

"Come, come. If you do not decide, then we will take whichever we like." Gahiji sneered at him.  
Faye linked her arms through Tom and Jenny's when she caught Julian glance in their direction before scanning the shadows around him. That was her cue.

Faye kept to the shadows, ignoring the long grass brushing past her legs and invisible hands clawing at her. A short distance down the path, the marble tomb loomed up before them. Faye didn't hesitate before pushing the door open with her shoulder and yanking Jenny and Tom into the dark confinement with her.

"Julian..." Jenny gasped, eyes turned toward the door.  
"Don't worry about _him_. Didn't you hear what Gahiji said?" Faye breathed and stumbled down a couple of steps. She landed at the bottom in a small pile and let out a groan.  
"Are you okay?" Tom whispered into the dark.  
"Watch the stairs down." Faye said. "I think I sprained my ankle."  
"Come on, Jenny. Faye, are you sure you're okay?" Tom asked worriedly as he slowly led Jenny down the steps in the dark.  
"I'm fine. I think." Faye said. "Now where the hell is this doorway?"

Jenny blindly sank down against a wall, listening to the shuffling footsteps of her friends.  
"Where is it?"  
"I'll look this side."  
"Is it an actual door?"  
"I don't know!"  
"How big is this damn tomb?"  
"I know, it goes on forever... Jenny, where are you?"  
"I'm right here." Jenny called out weakly.  
"It would be easier if we had some light..."  
"We can't have light without attracting attention to us."  
"I'm just saying..."

Jenny buried her face in her hands as the awful reality that she might leave here without Julian bit into her. She could nearly see her life flash before her eyes of what it would be like, waking up alone...

A sphere of stroking light flickered through the tomb in a disconcerting display of shocking white and blinding shadows. A low buzzing noise filled her ears and shook her down to the bone. The second Jenny thought of calling to the others, hands seized her by the shoulders and she was lifted to her feet. She could barely make out Julian's face in front of her in the dazzling light. She stumbled, disoriented, as he firmly pulled her along with him. Jenny could barely make out the others when they joined their side.

She started seeing flashes of red in the shadows, her mind too confused to identify them as eyes. She didn't see the door until Julian pointed at it, and even then she could barely make it out. Jenny darted forward, fumbling for the doorknob. It was cold and solid beneath her palm, and it swung open easily when she pushed at it. She turned slightly, eyes fighting to focus on anything in the dancing lights.

She could finally make out Julian, and she frowned deeply when the lights ceased and settled into an easy-on-the-eye dimness. Jenny took a step toward him when he drew up short, stopping in his tracks so suddenly that she had to blink a couple of times at the abruptness of it.  
There was a flash of silver in front of him and a faint whistling sound.

"Get out! Get out _now_!" Julian shouted angrily, and Jenny obeyed without hesitation.  
She stepped through the doorway and turned back, every part of her screaming at her to run back in there and physically fetch him.

_Why is he just standing there_? Jenny thought desperately.  
Faye had spun around to look at him too, and Jenny expected her to grab Julian by the arm and drag him with her. Instead, Tom took hold of Faye and pulled her toward the doorway. Julian still didn't move.  
_Why aren't you coming with us_? Jenny wanted to scream.

It was a horrible moment of hazy clarity when Faye weakly leaned against Jenny. Julian really wasn't coming with them. Jenny didn't know how she knew this for certain, but she had the distinct feeling that this was the last time she would ever see him. He couldn't come with them; that was the only clear thing she could see, and Jenny felt her heart convulse at the thought of what he must have done.  
He'd gone in her place. Again.  
The door whisked shut the moment Tom stepped through, and they were left in sombre silence.

**Ooo888ooO**

_**A/N: The next chapter is worse, heh heh heh. I thought I'd keep to original trilogy. Summer 'died' in the Hunter, some random kids died in The Chase, and Julian died in The Kill. So, someone has to die :D And, no, this isn't the twist...yet. Hope you like, leave me a review please!**_


	20. A life for a life

"Get out! Get out _now_!"  
The words unravelled into nonsense in Faye's mind. The moment those silver web-like threads shot up from the ground, everything seemed to come to a complete halt. She seemed to freeze along with time; her breath caught, and her heart momentarily stopped beating. Her mind became sluggish in the horrific predicament she was faced with.

She recognized the hair-thin threads, glittering deceivingly beautiful silver; her gaze darted from the wall of threads barely a few inches from her nose, to the three other walls of web that had sprouted from the ground. She stared at each wall, and yes it wasn't her imagination – they were moving toward one another. It was quite obvious to her that it was a cage, and it was just as clear to her that the intention was to kill its captive. Without remorse, without mercy. He wouldn't be able to get out from the inside, Faye knew this from having watched the contraption used on others before. The end result wasn't a pretty one.

The only way to save him was from the outside. Faye knew how to, she was certain of it, but her mind drew up a cold, solid blank as she desperately tried to recall the method...  
There was no time to figure it out. There was no time for anything but getting through that door. She looked through the web of threads before her, and she knew he knew it too.  
"Get out _now_!" Faye knew what he was trying to convey to her. There's no time. It's either do or die – she had the better option whereas he had none.

But she remained frozen, her gaze never wavering from his. When arms seized her from behind and roughly dragged her away, the world seemed to slur in painful slow motion around her. She wanted to scream. She wanted to rip free from the helping hands pulling her toward safety. She did neither.  
The walls were closing in fast. The shadow men drew closer, their voices hissing through the air.

Eyes like autumn blaze were locked onto sharp lapis lazuli. She saw right through his fury; a facade of frustration and anger to cover up what he was truly feeling. Fear.  
She knew because her own feelings were reflected in his eyes. Shadow men don't feel fear. Hatred, and greed, and anger, but not fear.

_I can get you out_, the words screamed in her head.  
The walls were closing in around him at an insane speed. With every second ticking by, she could hear the shadow men drawing closer. With every second crawling past, she was being pulled further away from him.

She was suddenly across the threshold. The firm grip on her was released and she stumbled. Her entire being was screaming in silent horror as the space around him became less, and less, and less...  
_Oh God, no, no, no_... Faye felt a light tremor shake through her. In another second there would be no more space, and the walls would close in, and...  
"_Julian_," Faye's voice came out a trembling whisper.  
His eyelids drooped shut, hiding the breathtaking blue life behind them. He took on a braced stance, braced for the blow – braced for death.

The door slammed shut, and Faye staggered away from it. She knocked into a wall behind her and slowly slid to the floor. She watched, wide eyed, as the dark wood of the door melted into the plastered wall across from her.  
Her eyes remained trained on that area. She knew the door wouldn't reappear. It was over. The shadow men no longer had any claim; they wouldn't, _couldn't_, come after them.  
Faye hugged her knees to her chest. There was nothing but the sound of weeping, and a clock chimed somewhere behind her.

She figured she was in shock. She felt nothing – no pain, or anger, or grief. _It's not normal_, Faye thought numbly. It wasn't normal that she felt nothing after that. She was just as hollow as she'd been... before.

Faye closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. And there he was in her mind's eye; caught in a death-trap neither of them had seen coming but _should have expected_; brilliant blue flames staring back into her own even as she was torn away from him; and then he closed his eyes to meet death. Untimely, unfair, preventable...  
_And I'm to blame_. The thought rung with a certainty through her, but stirred nothing inside of her.  
Heart-wrenching sobs drilled through the numb haze wrapped around her, and Faye opened her eyes to look at the source.

A beautiful young woman sat curled up beside her; golden hair hanging like a blanket of silk around her shaking shoulders, trembling hands covering her face; dressed in a pretty silk and lace nightgown with a deep tan coloured jacket around her shoulders. It took Faye a couple of minutes to recall her name. She barely remembered much about Jenny; her memories were cast in a jumble of past and present, and Julian was the main focus of most.

Tom was sitting on a box, slouched over and shielding his eyes. Faye stared at him for a moment, waiting for her head to clear and her memories to fall back in place. Everything had an unreal quality to it. She could hardly believe it, her mind rebelling against the reality.

_Stuff it_, Faye thought as a flicker of anger reared to life inside of her.  
She hauled herself to her feet and glanced around the room for the first time. It appeared to be a storage room of some kind. She turned slightly at the sound of a clock chiming for the third or fourth time since they'd been here.

Faye wiped her palms on her jeans and carefully stepped around several closed boxes to the doorway. She blinked and stared at the back of a counter overlooking an average sized store. There was only one small window high up in the wall. Pale sunshine slanted through the glass, gathering in a single pool of light that didn't quite dent the dimness of the store.

Faye walked across to the antique till, glancing at the familiar objects on the shelves. A mahogany Mah-jongg table with the tiles carelessly scattered across the green velvet top stood at an angle, familiar rune containers lined up like soldiers on a nearby shelf, and an eye-catching Ouija board perfectly presented between several rough chunks of amethyst crystals and opal stones.  
Faye opened the till and glanced at the odd coloured paper money and different shaped coins inside. She slammed it shut when her gaze landed on a rectangular game of Senet positioned to the side on the counter. She felt a pang in her chest; brief but excruciating.

She turned on her heels and strolled back to the doorway leading into the back room.  
"We need to get home." Faye said, her voice colder than she intended.  
Tom looked up at her, but she won no response from Jenny.  
"You're right." Tom said, his voice slightly hoarse.  
Faye watched him lift himself off the box and crouch beside Jenny. He shook her lightly and talked to her in quiet tones.  
Faye didn't look around again when they walked through the store to the entrance. It was eerily quiet except for the old grandfather clock softly ticking away the seconds.  
None of them spoke when they stepped outside into the early morning light. Tom flagged down a cab, and the drive to the penthouse was a solemn one.


	21. The first clue

Faye silently looked on as Tom attempted to comfort a distraught Jenny. Eventually Tom phoned Dee to come over when Jenny became unreasonable and slightly mad.

Dee rocked up no less than five minutes later. The look on her face when Tom broke the news to her that Julian was stuck in the shadow realm was almost funny.  
"Well, then we'll just go to Pennsylvania and we'll go back and _get him_. You and me, Tom, and Zach. And Faye." Dee had whirled around and spotted Faye then. "You'll help us get him back, right?"  
Faye returned her with a steady cold look that bewildered Dee.  
"I don't think we can." Tom said uncertainly, wearily studying Faye's expression.

Faye didn't confirm or correct them. She had no voice to utter the words burning through her veins. _Julian is dead_.

She couldn't force herself to face the extremity of it; she couldn't because she knew once acceptance set in, she would have a breakdown that she would most likely never recover from.  
She wouldn't think it, she wouldn't say it; despite her heart and mind knowing full well there was little chance of survival for him. Mortal bodies didn't last long in the shadow world, and that's what Julian's weakness had been this time around. If the door hadn't slammed shut when it did, Faye would without question have witnessed his final breath.

Faye turned to stare blankly out the window. Jenny's mother and father came by shortly after. There was no talk of shadow realms or shadow men with greedy claims in their presence.  
Jenny was the one to break into a fresh wave of tears at the sight of her mother. Jenny was the one to say the words.

"Jenny... Jenny, honey what is it? Tom, what's going on?" Mrs Thornton hurried toward her daughter with outstretched arms.  
"He's dead...Mom, he's dead..." Jenny's voice had been small and trembling, and it hadn't sounded like Jenny at all.  
A lump formed in Faye's throat at that stage as she watched Mrs Thornton absorb the news and comfort Jenny.

Faye had no one to turn to. She didn't have that unconditional backup when she needed to talk, or vent, or release her emotions. She didn't have that willing ear and comforting words, because that's what Julian had been to her, and now he was gone.

There was Tom, of course. But Tom was just another guy; one that wouldn't understand even if she spelled it out, one that wouldn't say the right words or respond the way she needed him to. He would ask too many questions, or none at all; he would offer the same empty words of comfort, and eventually he would expect her to get over it.

Faye barely noticed when the Thornton's left with a grief-struck Jenny at their side. She didn't look up until a cup of milk and a plate with toasted cheese sandwiches were shoved under her nose.  
"You need to eat." Tom said quietly, taking a seat across from her.  
Faye looked listlessly at the food before staring out the window again.  
"Faye. Please. You need your strength." Tom pleaded, and Faye turned to him.  
"I'm not hungry, Tom."  
"We'll go to the doctor later today. Make sure you haven't sustained any injuries that will affect the baby." Tom said reasonably.

Faye stared at him blankly for a long moment before closing her eyes. The baby.  
Faye angrily wiped at the warm tears sliding free from underneath her eyelids. She'd been so caught up in this whole masquerade that she'd completely forgotten about her own physical fragility. It was the reason why she and Tom had gotten engaged in the first place.

"I'm fine." Faye let out her breath.  
"Just to make sure. Maybe they can prescribe you something for trauma or shock..."  
"I'm _fine_." Faye repeated firmly.  
There was a moment of silence between them before Tom got up. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Stunned, Faye watched him stroll over to the phone, where he'd thrown it on the couch earlier. She stared blindly at the sandwich in front of her as she listened to Tom phoning the others. Zach first, then Michael.

Julian's gone, was all Tom said. No, he didn't abandon Jenny – he's gone, and he won't be coming back. Faye found it ironic that not even Tom could say the words that Jenny had blurted out before.

She glared at the sandwich. How was she supposed to eat? She'd just come out of a seven hour hunt and chase game without her best friend, how could she just eat a cheese sandwich and drink a glass of milk after that? How could Tom expect her to?

Faye left the meal untouched and allowed Tom to take her around town. The doctor was full of questions when Tom requested some sort of medicine for Faye in case of trauma. The pancakes Tom bought for her at a local diner tasted like nothing. Life seemed to lose its colour and vibrancy.

Faye didn't say anything when their friends came over and talked about Jenny. In the weeks that followed, the conversation always focussed on Jenny, and it was always the same thing again and again. Poor Jenny, she was taking this really hard. No, they couldn't see her personally because Jenny refused to see anyone. Oh, her mother is worried about her health and that of the unborn baby.

Faye was getting fed up hearing about how hard Jenny was having it. She kept herself in check on the subject, though, up until the day when Audrey and Michael came over for supper, and handed them a sealed envelope just before they left.

"What's that?" Faye called to Tom as she packed the last of the dishes and closed the dishwasher.  
She watched him curiously across the kitchen counter as he opened the envelope and pulled out a slip of paper. Faye straightened as she watched him read it, a deep frown creasing his features.  
"Tom?" Faye said again when Tom walked to the lounge.  
"In a minute, Faye." Tom waved at her dismissively.

Frowning, Faye set about the task of tidying up the kitchen. She picked the peels of potato and carrot that had fallen off the floor, and froze when Tom's muffled voice floated to her ears.  
"... need to go soon... can't take the others... Jenny wants us to... hopefully still in the basement... get in, get Julian, get out..."  
Faye dropped the peels into the sink and peeked across the kitchen counter.  
"Tom."  
He didn't seem to hear her, his back turned to her as he sat hunched over on the couch.  
"_Tom_." Faye nearly shouted.  
Tom paused and turned to look at her. Faye beckoned to him, her every nerve tingling with anger as she waited for him. Tom got up and walked into the kitchen, a worried 'what's wrong' on his lips.  
"Who's that on the phone?" Faye demanded.  


"It's Dee."  
"What's in that letter?" Faye nodded toward the dining room, where Tom had put the letter on the table.  
Tom sighed heavily. "I didn't want to upset you, Faye. The doctor said it's not good for you or the baby if you get too upset..."  
"Just tell me." Faye snapped.  
"Jenny asked that we go back, and find Julian's body. She wants to have a funeral." Tom said gently.

"A funeral?" Faye repeated blankly. "What? Three months after he died? She might as well not."  
"That's your opinion." Tom looked pained. "Look, Jenny needs to resolve Julian's death, and this is her way of doing it. She needs this to move on with her life."  
"So you're going to go to the Shadow World and _hope_ you find his body?" Faye asked incredulously. She shook her head when Tom started to explain, and turned to the sink. She scooped up a handful of soggy tomato bits and held her other hand to Tom.  
"Give me your hand." Faye ordered.

Tom eyed the tomato uncertainly before hesitantly obeying. Faye slapped the gunk of tomato into his palm and picked up a dish cloth to wipe her own hands.  
"You see that?" Faye nodded at the mushy garbage in his hand. "That's what you'll find when you find Julian. What are you going to do? Scoop handfuls of his remains into a plastic bag and hand it over to Jenny? I don't see how that's going to help her move on."  
Tom turned a faint shade of green and threw the mush back into the sink. He rinsed his hands and glanced at Faye.  
Faye pursed her lips and shrugged in reply. "I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a funeral. By all means, go for it. I just don't think he would have wanted Jenny to know how he ended up, that's all."

"Yeah," Tom muttered under his breath.  
Faye leaned against the counter for a moment, thoughtfully watching him. "Do you think I should go talk to her?"  
"If you want to. I don't know what good it will do. She's not in a very good place, if you know what I mean." Tom said wistfully.  
"No, I don't know what you mean." Faye dropped her hands lightly onto her small bump.  
"She's been... she's been talking about giving her baby up for adoption. She's paranoid that the shadow men will come after the baby once it's born, and apparently she's quite adamant that it would be impossible for them to track down the baby if she gave it away."

"Oh. So you mean she's doing crazy talk, is that it?" Faye arched her eyebrows.  
"She hasn't been herself since he died. As far as I know, she barely talks to anyone but her mom and Dee – and the things she tells Dee calls for urgent attention. Didn't I tell you she wanted to book herself into a Catholic based asylum after the birth?" Faye stared at Tom, dumbfounded at the casual manner in which he thrust this information into her face.  
"No." Faye said quietly.  
"Do you want to go over and see if she'll talk to you?" Tom asked, tilting his head to the side.  
"I don't really want to." Faye admitted, running her hands across her face in a frustrated gesture.  
"Then you don't have to..." Tom started gently.  
"Of course I _have_ to. Julian would have skinned me alive if he knew I'd just _let_ Jenny go downhill at her own steam." Faye glared up at the fluorescent lights before blinking at Tom. "You know, I always get this feeling that I'll never be free of him. Sometimes I can almost feel him watching me. Sometimes I can almost hear his voice in my head. Like he's haunting me, or some crazy shnitz like that."

"You never told me this before." Tom said.  
"I didn't think it was important." Faye shrugged. "And it's not. He's gone, and any thought of _something_ of him still hanging around is nothing but wistful thinking. So, in the end it doesn't matter what I think I feel, right? Let's get going, we'll do the clean up when we get back."

The drive to the Thornton house was a quiet one. Tom asked her only a couple of times if she was sure she was ready to face Jenny. Faye picked up on the worry vibes beneath his questions; he was more worried whether he was ready to see Jenny in her fragile state than he was of Faye's reaction.  
They pulled up the driveway and cut the engine. Tom flipped off the lights as Faye rounded the car and went up the front porch. She rang the doorbell, glancing over shoulder when Tom made his way to her.

The door opened and a tired looking Mrs Thornton appeared. Surprise flickered across her face at the sight of them.  
"Tom! Faye, hello. Come on in, what a lovely surprise!"  
They followed Mrs Thornton to the living room and sat down side by side when she offered to make them tea.  
"No, thank you, Mrs Thornton. We're here to talk to Jenny." Tom declined politely.  
"I do believe she's gone to bed already. Wait here, and I'll go see." Mrs Thornton nodded and disappeared down a hallway.  
"This is what happens all the time." Tom said in a low voice. "She always offers something to drink or eat, and when we ask to see Jenny, she goes to check, and she always comes back and shakes her head."

"Hmm." Faye pursed her lips and arched her eyebrows.  
Mrs Thornton reappeared a few minutes later, an apologetic and concerned look in her eye.  
"Jenny's not feeling too well. I'm sorry, she doesn't want to see anyone tonight."  
"Okay." Faye stood up and wiped her palms on her jeans, glancing at Tom sideways when he too got up. "That's fine if Jenny doesn't want to see us. But _I_ want to see _Jenny_, and I really don't care if she doesn't like it. Excuse me."  
Faye flashed Tom and Mrs Thornton a brief smile before venturing down the hallway in the direction Mrs Thornton had come. Faye thanked her luck that the first door she opened was Jenny's bedroom.  
She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and turned the latch to lock it.

Jenny was sitting on the bed, her gaze turned from the television screen to Faye in mild surprise.  
"Wow." Faye blew out her breath and sat down beside her without invitation. "Jenny, you're _huge_!"  
Jenny's gaze didn't waver, and she didn't respond in the slightest.  
"Only another two months to go. Lucky you. I still have to wait four months." Faye rubbed her hands across her own stomach.  
Jenny turned to look back at the television. Faye studied her for a moment, taking in the dark circles beneath her eyes and her somewhat pale complexion.  
"Okay. I tried." Faye sighed heavily and stared blankly at the TV screen. "You know I'm here because of Julian, right?"

Jenny said nothing, but Faye noticed her distractedly fiddling with a loose thread on her duvet.  
"I recon the adoption thing is just hormones talking. You're struggling to sleep, you're uncomfortable, you're unhappy, and obviously the idea of raising a child by yourself is a bit scary. But adoption really isn't the solution." Faye licked her lips and glanced at Jenny. "You might feel like it is now. But once the baby is born, and you're back to normal, you'll spend every day for the rest of your life wondering what happened to your baby. And inevitably, you will regret it."  
Jenny sighed softly, eyes turned to the window.  


"And locking yourself in some religious institute isn't going to help you get over it either." Faye added quietly.  
For a while, the only sounds in the room were the soft tones of a TV game show playing.  
"He talks to me in my dreams." Jenny said softly.  
Faye chewed her lip, wondering how to respond to the statement. She didn't have a dream of Julian in ages, and the last one she did have of him was a disturbing nightmare that had her sleeping with the lights on for two weeks straight.

"He talks to you, too." Jenny said and finally turned glossy green eyes to Faye. "But you don't listen to him. He told me you ignore him."  
"Jenny, he's _gone_." Faye said gently.  
"Is he really? I don't know anymore." Jenny frowned lightly and stared at her feet. "At first, I was so empty. All I could do was cry. And then he started talking to me in my dreams. And it gives me hope that maybe... just maybe, you know? Sometimes I remember the dream when I wake up, and I think those dreams in particular are important in some way so I write them down. But they never make any sense."  
Faye sighed deeply. If it was therapeutic for Jenny to do that, then so be it. Faye didn't want to judge.  
"He never talks to me directly, though. He always asks me to send you a message from him. To talk to you. To say things to you." Jenny shook her head and let out a half-sob, half-sigh. "And none of it ever makes sense. And I know I have to tell you these things, but I just... maybe I'm crazy."

_My thoughts exactly_, Faye thought and mentally slapped herself.  
"It's okay, Jenny. You don't have to worry about it." Faye said uneasily.  
"Last night, he was telling me Edgar Allan Poe wrote a poem about him. Something about dead spirits. He told me to tell you," Jenny looked at Faye uncomfortably. "About the dewdrops and a beautiful dreamer. He said that's your cue."

Faye wrinkled her nose and hugged herself. "Yeah, that doesn't make any sense."  
"I want to have a funeral for him." Jenny looked away.  
"I heard."  
"You did?" Jenny sniffed. "I wanted to see if he's really dead or not."  
"What makes you doubt that he is dead?"  
"What makes you think that he _is_ dead?" Jenny asked evenly.  
"Jenny... there's no way he could still be alive." Faye took a moment to swallow down the lump in her throat. "Don't you think that if there was a chance, I would have gone back to try get him out of there already?"  
"That's what he keeps asking me." Jenny had tears running down her cheeks now. "Why aren't you looking for him? Why aren't you even trying?"  
"Trying to what? Find him? Julian is _dead_."  
"He says differently." Anger seeped into Jenny's voice. "You should open your ears and stop turning a blind eye to him. He's trying to contact you; he _told_ me so."  
"Jenny..." Faye said uneasily and slowly got off the bed.  
"He's hurt, and he's lost and angry, and _you_ are the only one who can get him out."  
"Okay, nice to see you too. Take care." Faye fumbled with the lock behind her and slipped out of the room, nearly slamming the door behind her as she hurried down the hallway.

Tom was still standing in the living room, looking somewhat awkward. Faye grabbed his arm and cast a quick goodbye at Mrs Thornton. She nearly ran outside to the car, and locked her door when she was inside.

"She's friggin lost her marbles, Tom." Faye gasped, cautiously staring out the window at the ranch style house.  
Tom started the engine, but stopped to give her a long look. "What happened?"  
"Nothing. She was just talking about seeing Julian in her dreams, and she started freaking me out." Faye hissed impatiently. "Can we go home, please?"  
They pulled out of the driveway, but Tom switched off the radio halfway home.  
"What exactly did she say to freak you out?"  
"She said Julian is trying to make contact with me or something stupid like that. And _then_ she started accusing me of not trying to find him." Faye shuddered. "I think she should go for the asylum thing."

"Don't be mean. Jenny needs help. I _told_ you she's not in a good place." Tom chided coldly.  
Faye sucked her lip as she stared at the scenery they passed on their way home. Imagine, Edgar Allan Poe writing a poem about _Julian_! And dewdrops and a beautiful dreamer was her cue – her cue for what? None of it made sense, it was gibberish, but part of her recoiled at the thought that there might be some truth behind the nonsense. Maybe Julian _was_ trying to communicate with her from the other side.

The following morning, Tom told her that Julian's funeral was scheduled just before the weekend. The days that dragged by until _the_ day, Faye's mindset altered slightly. If Julian was trying to contact her, she was obviously not trying hard enough to see the signs. She contemplated going to a medium to get some clarity on what it was he wanted to tell her, but Faye was short on money and reasoned that, if Julian's ghost was hanging around, he'd probably still be hanging around until she got another wad of cash coming in.

_He'll understand_, Faye thought to herself. She was telling herself the exact same thing the day of his funeral. While she was walking along the shore and exploring hidden caves in the rock formations that were only accessible during low tide, her friends were gathered around a hole weeping while a coffin with Julian's most valuable possessions was lowered six feet underground.  
Faye couldn't force herself to attend, even though Tom told her it would be disrespectful if she didn't. Tom didn't understand, and she didn't expect any of the others to understand either. But Julian would understand, and she knew with an eerie certainty that he probably would have done the same if their positions were switched. Saying goodbye and having someone you've known for so long being buried before your eyes, was just too final. The last goodbye. No turning back. Faye didn't want to let go, and she certainly didn't want to make it a reality by standing at his grave.

Faye settled herself into a slight alcove in one of the rock formations and stared out at the horizon. It was sunny, but the bite of winter chills were thick in the air. Faye licked her lips and relaxed against the back wall, watching the waves crash into the rocks several feet away from her. Cool white spray fell at her feet. It was a very secluded area; she couldn't see the beach on either side and the sensation of being surrounded by water was a bit daunting. She made to get up and paused when something tugged at her.

It wasn't a physical tug because all she could feel was the spray and the chilly breeze. It was more like something tugging at her subconscious, like a memory fighting to resurface. Faye turned to glance at the small alcove, and stood uncertainly. It was on the tip of her tongue to call out to Julian, but something restrained her from doing so. It was a stupid idea that Julian could really be there, and she didn't want to feel like an idiot speaking to open air. Still, she couldn't help but glance back at the alcove one more time before she rounded the rocks and stepped onto wet sand.

Even walking along the shore made her feel a slight unease. Despite the scattered groups of teenagers on the beach, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. She could feel eyes on her, and for the first time Faye contemplated whether it was Julian at all.

Instead of getting in her car and driving home, Faye continued her walk down the waterfront and into town. She distractedly looked in store windows, expecting every time to see a reflection of someone else right behind her. Because that's what it felt like to her; someone was following her, right on her heels, and it was unnerving.

A group of loud teenagers came bustling from a store up ahead, armed with packets filled with costumes. Faye thoughtfully watched one girl put a cute headpiece with small red devil horns on her head as they passed by her. Faye turned slightly to watch them, and sent a glance at the store from where they'd come. _For all your Halloween needs_, a sign read in bold running red letters above the door.

A split second of hesitation passed, and then Faye stepped into the store. Costumes of all colours and shapes lined the walls in a somewhat chaotic fashion. There were books like _Witchcraft for the New Age Wiccan, Psychic: getting in touch with your sixth sense, _and _Fool Proof Spells_ scattered across a table, with several Stephen King classics and other less known writers like Derek Gunn and Ramsey Campbell and, Faye noted apprehensively, a book compilation of Edgar Allan Poe's works.

She eyed the simple green bound book for a minute before picking it up. She opened it at the index, scanning the list of stories before her eye caught on one title underneath the Poetry index. _Spirits of the Dead_.

_A poem about Julian, hmm?_ Faye thought incredulously and paged to the indicated page.

Thy soul shall find itself alone  
'Mid dark thoughts of the gray tombstone  
Not one, of all the crowd, to pry  
Into thine hour of secrecy.  
Be silent in that solitude  
Which is not loneliness--for then  
The spirits of the dead who stood  
In life before thee are again  
In death around thee--and their will  
Shall overshadow thee: be still.  
The night--tho' clear--shall frown--  
And the stars shall not look down  
From their high thrones in the Heaven,  
With light like Hope to mortals given--  
But their red orbs, without beam,  
To thy weariness shall seem  
As a burning and a fever  
Which would cling to thee forever.  
Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish--  
Now are visions ne'er to vanish--  
From thy spirit shall they pass  
No more--like dew-drops from the grass.  
The breeze--the breath of God--is still--  
And the mist upon the hill  
Shadowy--shadowy--yet unbroken,  
Is a symbol and a token--  
How it hangs upon the trees,  
A mystery of mysteries!

Faye pursed her lips and arched her eyebrows before closing the book and putting it back.  
_Well. That doesn't sound like it's a poem about him._ Faye thought dismissively, ignoring the tingling in her hand when she put the book down.

"Can I help you with anything, dear?" A soft voice asked beside her.  
Faye turned to look at a crooked old lady with thinning white hair and sparkling blue eyes. There was a warm smile on her thin lips.  
"Oh, no thanks. I'm just browsing." Faye shrugged.  
"Is there anything in specific you're looking for?"  
"No, no. I'm just looking around..."  
"Oh, my dear." Faye glanced at the old woman when her tone of voice changed to something very much like sympathy. Faye froze when she put an old withered hand on Faye's own hands. "Don't be embarrassed. If you do not seek answers, you will not find it. You have lost someone very near your heart."

Faye blinked and pulled her hands away. "Yeah, who hasn't?" Faye retorted.  
The old woman shrugged in response, her smile never wavering. "If you wish to communicate with your loved one, I can provide you with some assistance."  
"Are you psychic or something?" Faye snorted indignantly.  
"Or something." The old woman made an elegant nod. "If you do not wish to communicate with that who has passed, then that is your choice."

Faye gritted her teeth when the woman turned and began to waddle back to the counter. Well, she _did_ think about getting a medium or someone connected to the spiritual realm before. She might as well make use of this one while the opportunity was present.  
"Okay, wait. Yeah, there's someone I'd like to talk to." Faye said.  
She thought for a moment the old woman was half deaf when she didn't turn around. Instead, the old woman lifted a hand and beckoned to her over her shoulder. Faye faltered for a moment before following.

There was a back room that appeared to be a kitchenette and lounge all in one small cramped space. Faye sat down across from the old woman on one of the couches, surprised to find that the dingy furniture was quite comfortable.  
"Okay, so how does this work?" Faye asked. "Do you need something that belonged to the person to 'tap' into them, or what?"  
The old woman shifted and glanced over her shoulder toward a water canister, and Faye suspiciously followed her gaze. Was someone hiding in the dark there?  
"Whatever would I need that for?" The old woman asked when she turned back to Faye.  
"That's how they do it on TV." Faye shrugged.  
"Bah." The old woman waved a hand dismissively. "I am the real deal, child, and speaking to the dead..." The old woman glanced over her shoulder again. "Well, to those not physically present in this life, is not something to be taken lightly."  
"Of course not." Faye leaned back in the couch and folded her hands across her stomach, waiting. "So what do I need to do, or do you just start on..."

"Hush, child." The old woman chided, her head tilted slightly to the side. Her blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and when she looked at Faye there was something disturbing in her gaze.  
"Ah. Yes, I see. Of course." She murmured, and nodded her head slightly. "Now, my dear. What is it that you would like to ask your friend?"  
"That's it? You're not even going to tell me who it is, or what they look like?" Faye asked, her mind already out the door.  


"What need I do that for? You know very w ell who he is and what he looks like." The woman frowned lightly. "Besides, he gives me the impression that he doesn't have time to waste on petty details like that."  
"Riiiight. Well, it's actually one of my girl friends that passed on recently." Faye lied and got up. "Cheers."  
"His funeral is today, he tells me." The woman's words stopped her dead in her tracks, and Faye spun to face her.  
"But he claims he's not dead. Trapped. Between the dead?" The woman looked confused. "Caged in between the spirits? Trapped between the dead... come now, boy, you need to be a bit more straight forward than that. Trapped between the dead, trapped between the dead." The woman shook her head and gave Faye an apologetic look. "He's speaking in riddles."

Faye slowly made her way back to the couch, a deep frown on her face, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow in the room.  
"Ah. He says you know where he will be." The woman nodded, and looked at Faye closely. "He's given you a clue where to find him. Soon, he says. Soon you'll know."  
"Where he _will_ be?" Faye repeated, confused. "What is he talking about?"  
The woman cocked her head to the side and seemed to be listening. She cast another glance over her shoulder toward the water canister. Her forehead creased into a deep frown and she was quiet for a few moments.

"He says that he will return. And when he does, you will have your cue. He says you shouldn't worry about him not being there to see it, you should just get it done, and then go to find him. Quickly, he says. You'll know when, and when you do, you'll need to act mighty fast."  
"Could you ask him to spell it out for me? Because none of this makes sense, at all." Faye shook her head.  
"I don't need to, he can hear you quite clearly, my dear. And he can't tell you exactly." The woman sighed heavily. "Did you know you're being followed, child?"  
"Yeah, I thought it might be his spirit or something." Faye admitted.  
"No, child. He is not the one following you. 'tis another man," the woman dropped her voice. "Ugly as the devil, you could say."  
"Oh." Faye said and slouched forward. "Wonderful."

"Old Hallows eve, he says for you to keep your mind open to him." The woman said. She paused, licked her lips, and gave Faye another warm smile. "That is all, dear."  
"What do you mean? Is he gone?"  
"They both are. For now."  
"I don't need to pay for this, do I?" Faye asked, getting up once again.  
"I don't do this for everyone, child." The woman followed her into the store and clutched her hands together. "It was simply too hard for me to ignore the boy screaming in frustration to get your attention."  
"Ha... what? Scream..." Faye cut herself off when the old woman turned to a couple of young kids who had entered the store.  
Faye left the store, feeling cold and thrilled and fearful all at once. The old woman's words were burned into her memory, but she couldn't shake the sensation of having lost something valuable when she left the store. The old woman had actually talked to Julian. She'd actually _seen_ him.

_So why can't I have a sixth sense and see him too?_ Faye thought enviously. On the walk back to her car, and on the drive to the penthouse, Faye reprimanded herself for avoiding him for over five long years. Of course, she hadn't wanted to be reminded of the past and all that it entailed, but now she regretted it. Maybe, in the end, it wouldn't have been _that_ bad to remain in contact with Julian. 

They'd proven they could get along like way back when during their venture through the Shadow World. Maybe they would have discovered they could live with each other if they'd given it another chance.  
Faye fought down tears. Geez, if Julian really was watching her, she didn't want him to see her _crying_ over him. Her face flushed red at the mere idea. If he wasn't dead, as the old woman claimed he said, then he'd rip her off for sure once he got back. _Once I've found him_, Faye corrected herself.

**Ooo888ooO**

_**A/N: Um... poem is by Edgar Allan Poe, I decline any copyright to it. I think that's it.**_


	22. An inbetweener

**A/N:**_** I'm stuck in a rut at the moment. This chapter isn't part of the current Birds of a Feather fic, but I found my inspiration for the fic from this chapter. It's got no use in the story, see, because in this version Julian already had a kid (which he didn't know about because he was stuck in the shadow world unbeknownst to anyone), and Gahiji had been prancing about while he was stuck there, pretending to be no other than Julian himself. So, when the kid was born, Gahiji/Julian convinced Jenny the baby wouldn't survive on earth so Gahiji stole the little thing away. They made a pact to never speak of it or refer to it, and everyone being so freakishly afraid of Julian, never did (hence the funny looks between the friends).This is the actual Julian in the chapter though. Tom and Faye didn't know about any of it, Gahiji made sure they don't find out. So, as I said, this chapter is nul in void, has absolutely no point to the current fic. But I really enjoyed writing it, it's not too shabby, and I don't want it wasting space on my pc anymore, so I'm posting it. 'nuff said. Heh heh.**_

--8888--

Faye didn't notice she was no longer alone in the light and airy lounge until a familiar voice broke through her occasional mindless mumbling consisting mostly of _die you bastard, eat this_ and _didn't see that comin' did ya_.  
"What's with this guy dropping through glass ceilings all the time?" Tom watched the white headed digital character on the television screen.  
"Hell, I don't care, I just like his shoot now don't ask questions attitude." Faye replied distractedly, biting her tongue in concentration and toggling the controller furiously, leaning to the side as though the character on the screen would do the same.

"Okay, Faye, that's enough. We've got company." Tom chided, a look of dismay on his face when Faye snorted at him, her gaze never leaving the screen, his words barely registering in her head.  
"I'm almost done... just need to wipe this little beastie... I can do it, just..." Faye sucked in her breath and literally jumped when another demon leapt into view and collided with her player. "No!"

"She's addicted. I've tried everything to get her away but every time I look, she's glued to this game again." Tom said apologetically. Faye wondered briefly if he'd invited his college friends over again – she didn't really like any of them - but she was too wrapped up in her game to pay much attention.  
All eyes were fixed on Faye as she cried out some nasty profanities and ridiculous threats, shifting onto her knees and closer to the screen with narrowed eyes, thumbs dancing across the controller in her hands.

Faye sent a fleeting glance at Julian when he stepped forth and leaned against the TV with an uncanny grace, his lithe physique clad in a black and red shirt with _Billabong_ emblazed on the front, worn out jeans hugging long legs and sporting a relatively new pair of Nike sneakers on his feet that she'd been dying to buy. The clothes were average and casual but somehow he made them seem exotic and different. She found it disturbing to see him so modestly dressed, so _normal._

Julian watched the action on the screen for a moment before he gave her an odd look. Faye wasn't all that surprised to see him – she'd expected him to confront her for using a spell not too long ago to summon him to a dream-like dimension. She hadn't seen him for over five years, and the fact that she'd called on him to share a random conversation of insanity wasn't a very good idea.

But then she had rebelled against it herself for several days before caving in. She'd upset him, she knew. He didn't like to be summoned, because not only did it remind them both of things best left buried, but also because Julian despised her for still having complete control over him in that regard.

If Faye called on him, Julian would come - whether he wanted to or not. But Faye hadn't known what else to do – she was at her wits end and had hoped Julian would be able to shed some light. Not that they really discussed the problem. Faye had been a bit too emotional for that, and had run out before Julian could have the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Besides, she'd always known it would be inevitable that they bump into one another again.  
However, she never would have expected _Tom_ to invite Julian to their _apartment_. She was equally shocked when Julian accepted the invitation. Glancing at Julian again, he was almost just as she remembered him. Though, her memory of him had faded slightly because his beauty dazzled her senses momentarily; something that had never happened before.

They looked at one another for a brief moment and Faye made up her mind to try act civilized.

"So the graphics can be better." Faye said defensively, cringing inwardly that these were the first actual words she was speaking to him after _years_ of no contact. She sent him another glance and to make sure it was clear to him that she wasn't going to be friendly, she added in a mocking tone of voice. "I should have been the one to fill your dark soul with liiiiight!" After which she broke into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"What _exactly_ is it that fascinates you about this game?" Julian asked, not so much as flinching at her crude sense of humour.  
"Well... there's just something magical..._ oh no you don't_... about two guys... _take that you piece of sh_... with blonde hair and blue eyes..." Faye let out a shout of victory and pumped her fists, dropping the controller with a distraught bang on the floor when the screen went blank, and purple scribbling flashed 'now loading' in the bottom corner.  
She sobered slightly when she noticed Julian's expression and she grinned sheepishly. "Okay, so they pale in comparison to you. Still, I don't see you opening a can of whoop-ass and saving humanity from the demonic."  
"Ah. So. _That's_ it then."  
Faye paused. "What?" She asked innocently, but she knew she'd added another brick to the bridge between them.

Julian's demeanour had changed in a split second to pure indifference. Faye knew this was his most dangerous mask – the silence before the storm broke loose. She switched the television off, resentful that she was forced to face him, even in the comfort of her own home.  
"Okay, it's off." Faye sighed, the gloating sensation of winning quickly diminishing as she realized she'd really ticked him off.

Faye felt a twinge of embarrassment and shame when she turned and noted the people seated on the wide creamy leather couches.  
Audrey was dressed in an elegant two piece designer outfit, wearing a pale tunic-fashioned blouse and matching trousers that widened stylishly at the bottom, her tan-coloured leather boots swinging lightly, impatiently, as she crossed her legs. Michael was seated close beside her, the complete opposite of Audrey's chic and immaculate appearance. The blue-grey shirt he wore was somewhat rumpled and the khaki pants looked awkward on him. His pudginess was toned down somewhat and his dark hair, that once had also carried the trademark 'rumpled' look of Michael Cohen, was shaved short army-style. It somehow made him look more masculine.

Zach and Summer sat on another couch, china blue and slate grey eyes alternately looking back at Faye with unmasked offence of her inhospitality. A diamond ring winked on Summer's hand and Zach was subconsciously spinning his own ring around on his finger. They were cute as a couple, if a bit too much to Faye's liking. They were both wearing the same baby blue and green striped shirts, both wearing dark levis. It was enough to make her want to gag.

Dee was seated on a leather footstool, resting toned dark arms on her knees, looking as though she was about to go into combat with her simple white tank top that clung flatteringly to her slender frame and her crocodile green camouflage printed trousers. The only signs that gave away that Deidre Eliade also lived on the premises were the fact that she was comfortable wearing socks without her favourite hiking-boots and her dark hair was uncharacteristically loose, hanging in soft soot black fizzy curls around her sharp featured face. She was shaking her head with a grim expression on her face as she stared right back at Faye disapprovingly.

_Awkward_, Faye thought to herself. At least Tom didn't seem all that offended, but he was so used to her ways by now that it wasn't all that surprising that he'd merely accepted she would never change. Julian, on the other hand, was looking at her in a very disturbing way.

"Sorry." Faye offered meekly, self consciously straightening her wrinkled pyjama blouse and glancing wearily at her polka dot pants. Her hair was a mess, which was understandable because she hadn't done _anything_ since waking up that morning. She'd as much as rolled off the couch, where she'd fallen asleep the night before, and got wrapped up in the TV game with sleep encrusted eyes, while the foggy fingers of a somewhat nightmarish dream faded from her mind.

It's the dreams that were the driving force for her absurd obsession with playing violent and gory games. She couldn't help but picture the demons she wiped out were Gahiji and the other shadow men. They'd been taunting her dreams with horrid visions as of late, causing her to break out in a cold sweat and jolt awake in the middle of the night.  
Faye rubbed her eyes and cleared her throat, cheeks flushing. "Excuse me while I ah... yeah." Faye mumbled and fled down the hall to her room.

After splashing some cold water on her face and combing her hair until it hung in a smooth veil of dark silk around her back, Faye slipped into clothes. The tight black denim she pulled on was a worn out scrap of clothing that was long overdue to be cast out with the garbage; the hem so badly treaded on that the dusty black twirls of torn denim seemed to beg for mercy as she stepped on them with her heels.

She yanked on a white long sleeved shirt, paused when she spotted the dark oil stain on her chest and cursed before she yanked on a black shirt - with _your hot, I'm hot... let's get naked_ printed in pink bold letters across the front - to cover up the stain. It was no secret that Faye seriously needed a change of wardrobe. Everything she had was either stained, torn, faded or worn out.

Faye wandered back up the hallway, her bare feet soundless on the dark wood floorboards. She

heard the others talking in the lounge as she approached and she wondered again why Tom would invite Julian over. Why Julian would come at all was a mystery, even more so because Jenny hadn't come with him.

Faye halted in her tracks at the realization. Jenny wasn't with him. The wrongness of that sliced through her and she felt the claws of fear sink into her heart. Julian was _never_ without Jenny. He went where she went; he did what she did. It was like he was glued to her side, unable and unwilling to break free from her. When her friends would talk about Jenny, they would always mention Julian, and vice versa. Faye herself had caught glimpses of the two around town, but she always put a decent amount of distance between them when she did.

_Parasite_, Faye thought grimly to herself. Wasn't that what she'd thought djinn were when she first came to hear of their kind? Julian only confirmed the matter that she was correct in her assumption. 

They leeched off human emotion. What else could explain Julian's very unique, very unpredictable personality – he picked up on human emotion as easily as he sucked out human fear and bathed himself in it (or at least he used to).

But unlike his ancestors, Julian had a mind and a heart of his own; instead of portraying the auras he picked up on, he scrutinized it from every angle before responding in his own inexplicable and startling manner, sometimes mirroring the emotion or simply reacting with the complete opposite extremity.  
Faye rounded the corner cautiously and stood silently, watching the group of friends conversing. No one else seemed troubled that Jenny's presence was lacking.

Faye listened half heartedly as the topic of discussion flowed from Summer and Zach's upcoming wedding, to Audrey's obsession to create the perfect ambiance in her and Michael's house, to Dee's afternoon Kung Fu classes.

She was amazed that they were so comfortable with Julian in the room with them, knowing what horrors he'd put them through in the past. But unlike Faye, who had avoided him like the plaque since that day Jenny moved into the villa five years ago, the others hadn't been _that_ weary of him.

Jenny was genuinely happy with him and once it became clear to them that Julian had no intention of abducting her to some godforbidden world, they gradually started accepting him and even warming up to him. Heck, they invited _him_ to Summer's wedding before Faye even heard about the engagement.

Faye cringed when Tom mentioned the little 'scare' they'd had a week ago and she fumed in humiliation that he would _dare_ talk about it. Faye vowed to cause some really mean damage to his tool before she would ever so much as _think_ to share a room with him again. Oh, she was going to rip into him and tear out his pride, chew him up and spit him out, and then kick him till kingdom come. If she wanted the world to know that she did a pregnancy test and was fortunate to have a negative result, she would have plastered it on billboards and made a home video to load onto youtube. Unfortunately for Tom, she wasn't the kind of girl who liked to share that type of information and she certainly didn't appreciate him recounting the events to their _friends_ either.

"Yeah, Tom, I don't think Faye wants to really air that out." Dee said when Tom finished, giving the others a pointed look.

Julian was leaning back into the single couch, his posture relaxed and his feet up on the coffee table.  
His hands were locked together behind his head and he stared at Tom with a very peculiar look on his face. His heavy lidded eyes were narrowed and Faye would have thought he'd strangle Tom right then and there.

Instead, the ghost of a roguish smile curled the corner of his lip and there was an ominous light dancing in those brilliant blue eyes. She saw the nervous and awkward glances everyone, apart from Tom, sent discreetly at Julian. Faye felt her stomach lurch involuntarily and swiftly blocked out the bizarre and frightening thought that tried to fight its way into her head.

_Don't be stupid_, she thought fiercely. It's nothing. Julian was just weird, that's all. So what if he wasn't out of his mind in rage and ripping out Tom's throat. Yes, Julian was territorial – but he was also unpredictable. He was just responding to this differently than she'd have imagined him to. It's not like he was an idiot. Hell, with all the intellect the guy had, she would be surprised if he _hadn't_ thought she and Tom had taken things to another level. It was inevitable, seeing as they lived under the same roof and really liked each other.

_You're not exactly on a friendly basis with him, so why should he care?_ The voice of reason whispered in the back of her mind. Faye knew it was true. If anyone knew Julian well and understood his anatomy, it was her. She knew how he was wired, which strings were safe to pull and which buttons were best to completely avoid. The look of vengeance on his face was aimed at Faye.  
She could almost hear what he was thinking. _You asked for trouble, Faye, you should have listened when I told you he'll only mess you up._

Still, the nervous looks her friends were exchanging made it quite clear that they knew something she didn't. Again she pushed down the chilling thought attempting to force itself out, mentally ramming her fists into it and driving it back down into the darkest corner of her mind. That was simply stupid. _Preposterous._ She wouldn't think of it. She point blank _refused_ to tolerate the idea.

"Where's Jenny?" Faye asked, frowning at Julian, praying he wouldn't say 'sick'.  
Julian shifted his gaze to her and answered just as casually. "She's gone to brunch with her mother."

"At the mall?" Faye asked idly, suppressing the surprise she felt at his answer.

"Would you like to go check?" Julian said impatiently and the look he gave her confirmed that she'd been right in her earlier assumption of what he was thinking. He was gloating in her misfortune, laughing inside at her stupidity.

"Why aren't you with her?" Faye retorted. If he was going to provoke her to come straight out with it, then hell yes she was going to oblige.  
"She wanted some quality mother and daughter time."  
"Riiiight. What's in it for you?" Faye furrowed her eyebrows together.  
"It's my gift to her for her birthday." Julian's answer was smooth. No loopholes, no doubts. No reason to question his motives, said so convincingly that it chased any misconceptions from her mind. It was true that Jenny's twenty first birthday was only a week away, making it a very believable excuse.  
"How sweet," Faye said. "Will she be joining us afterward?"  
"Maybe," Julian shrugged and then relented slightly. His next words sent a foreboding tremor down her spine. "She really wants to talk to you, Faye. She hasn't seen you in a while."

_Like Jenny and I are such good friends_, Faye thought sarcastically. Julian seemed to know what she was thinking because he was giving her a snide look that warned her to tread carefully.  
In the early stages of Jenny and Julian's relationship, Jenny had inexplicably confided in Faye and asked her for guidance and advice, mainly because the girl believed Faye had the answers to everything.

They used to go out for coffee – as though they really were friends - and then Faye would sit back and listen to all the woes that moulded Jenny Thornton. Needless to say Faye found it quite entertaining that Jenny would dump all her baggage concerning Julian on her, because it gave Faye deadly ammo to throw in Julian's face whenever the two of them would have another fall out.

Which, Faye considered, had been a daily occurrence. Since Julian figured out Faye had feelings for Tom, they'd been at one another's throats on a constant and tiring basis. Something as simple as asking where the remote was would unfold into an ugly brawl. Of course, Faye grasped onto any excuse to get out of the house and away from Julian, and Jenny offering to hang out with her so they could have a 'girl-talk' was Faye's safest bet without having Julian following her. The tension between them accumulated to an irrevocable level over a very short period of time – the usual heated fights that ended with both resenting the other's love interest stopped and were instead replaced with cold remarks and nasty criticism until, finally, exchanging words at all had fizzled out.

Faye had seized the opportunity when Jenny pitched up at the villa one day, and there'd been some confusion as Jenny explained she was moving in. Naturally Jenny had been shocked when Faye told her she wasn't aware of this decision, after which Faye promptly packed up her things and left the villa without another word. Julian hadn't tried to stop her. He hadn't even looked at her as she'd walked right past him through the front door. They avoided each other since then.

A sudden wave of nausea threatened to chase her to the bathroom and Faye swallowed it down, waiting rigidly for it to pass. The worst possible cause of the sudden physical changes inside of her were eliminated a week ago with the test, which left the only alternatives that she'd either eaten something bad and gotten a mild case of food poison, or she'd caught a stomach virus. The sharp metallic taste in her mouth faded and she relaxed, glaring back at Julian.

"I'll be looking forward to catching up with her." Faye said quietly as she went to settle herself beside Tom. Be civilized, she chided herself. For Tom's sake. "Is she still working at that institute?"

"St. Mary's is not an institute." There was a bite in Julian's words.  
"_Orphanage_, whatever." Faye gritted her teeth at his tone of voice. "She hasn't decided to bring one home yet, has she?"

"Cut it out, Faye." Dee hissed, alarmed.  
Julian's gaze shifted from Dee to Faye, something like surprise flashing through his eyes. "She's not planning to, is she?"  
"Of course not." Michael said quickly.  
"Heck, with Jenny you never know. If it's not a stray dog, it just might be a kid. There's no difference between the two, right?" Faye wrung her hands together. She couldn't help herself, she was winding herself up as much as Julian. So much for being civil.  
"That's your point of view on kids?" Tom demanded, genuinely shocked.  
"Oh, please, Tom. If I really hated kids I wouldn't be babysitting for whoever is willing to trust me with their little clones." Faye rolled her eyes and narrowed her eyes at Julian. "Although, if Jenny _did_ bring one home it'll probably end up as another statistic on police records for missing children. Julian has a very delicate appetite."

Michael grimaced at her words but Summer and Tom actually laughed. A coy smile spread on Julian's lips as he looked from one to the other before giving Faye a grating look.  
"I'm sorry." Faye breathed and met Julian's gaze evenly. "I'm just... I didn't mean it, okay? Things have just been really weird lately."  
Tom's smile faded and he looked from Julian to Faye. "Have you talked about that little problem?"  
"I've mentioned it." Faye shrugged, looking away moodily.  
"I'm sure it's just your subconscious... and with that crap you're playing all the time it's no wonder you have nightmares." Julian made a slight nod toward the television with a meaningful look before leaning forward. He leaned his elbows on his knees, distractedly clenching and unclenching his fists nervously.

It was such a _human_ gesture that Faye couldn't help but stare at him. The guy across the room from her most certainly was but a ghost of what he used to be. _Tamed_, the word flashed through her mind.  
"I guess." Faye said meekly. She knew it wasn't any outside influences causing the dreams. There was nothing on earth that could make her have the exact same dream every night for three weeks straight. Besides, there was the little matter of an unfamiliar voice weeping throughout every dream – such heart wrenching sobs that were often the cause for Faye to wake up, in tears herself. It was disturbing that the cries were that of a child. She didn't know what game the Shadow Men were playing at, but they were doing a splendid job at scaring her.

**Ooo888ooO**

**A/N:**_** any reference to and use of one liners (I only used ONE anyway, and it's probably the lamest voice over they could **__ever __**have come up with but it was just too good to pass up) regarding DMC is sole property of Capcom! They are INGENIUS. Go Capcom, go Capcom, go!**_


	23. Halloween Night

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating! Hopefully it doesn't happen again. Life is just one big ol' mess at the moment, but this story demands my attention so I will attempt to obey.**

_Carrie; Ginger Snaps; The Sixth Sense; Nightmare on Elm Street; The Grudge; Shutter_.  
Faye crouched down, sorting through the pile of DVD's on the coffee table. The flickering light from the television cast a pale hue across the quiet lounge. Faye rocked back on her heels and glanced at the violet and navy night outside. Scattered clouds hid the stars, and the moon was a half-slit in the sky. Rubbing her palms across her legs in an anxious gesture, she turned to scan the shadows in her open-plan home. Besides the steady static from the television, the only audible sound was a clock ticking the seconds away. Dark eyes shifted to the silver framed clock on the wall; squinted in the dim light; and felt a wave of utter disappointment when she could finally make out the time.

Half past two in the morning. Faye suppressed the urge to groan. She could have sworn that old lady said to keep aware of Julian's presence on Halloween night. Hell, she'd been counting the days, and the previous night she'd hardly slept because she'd been so excited. She didn't know what she'd expected; maybe to actually hear Julian's voice for real, to maybe see him or catch a glimpse of him. She'd expected _something_.

_Just keep yourself open to him_, Faye repeated to herself for the hundredth time that evening. She'd contemplated several factors why he hadn't tried to contact her tonight. She hadn't so much as sensed him, despite the feeling that she was being watched at times. Julian wasn't around, but someone else was – Faye was now able to sense when Gahiji was around. The familiarity of the presence would have been deceiving if that old woman hadn't told Faye she was being followed. She'd thought it was Julian before; she'd _wanted_ it to be him, and so the thought that it might be Gahiji never would have come to mind. But Faye knew better now, and she wasn't going to let on that she knew either.

She looked at the television and tiredly ejected the last DVD. She gingerly placed the disc into the proper casing, and stared at the picture on the front of three witches. Hocus Pocus. It was an old movie, and Faye would be glad to never watch it again. _And now that stupid song is stuck in my head_, Faye thought bitterly as she turned off the TV and tip toed to the kitchen. She put the kettle on and leaned on the kitchen counter, gazing across the shadowed room to the city lights outside the window. She would go to bed if she could, her body was pleading her to and she was battling to keep her eyes open for the third time that night. _Julian is a man of his word_, Faye thought stubbornly. If he said she had to wait for him tonight, then she damn well would. She didn't want to wake up with a shadow at the foot of her bed – and a pissed off shadow at that, because Julian would be quite livid if she decided 'stuff Julian, I'm going to sleep'.

The kettle whistled beside her, bringing her back to her present thoughts of cold feet and heavy eyes. Faye stood on her toes to take out a cup, and rummaged through the cupboards to find a package of herbal tea bags.

_Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment..._

Faye straightened up and poured boiling water into the cup. She dropped a teabag into it, and watched the water slowly turn a soft yellow. Stupid movie, Faye shook her head again and sighed heavily. Whatever Julian had wanted to communicate to her tonight, it was important and urgent. She'd felt Gahiji's presence throughout the night, and that was probably why Julian hadn't tried to contact her. If Gahiji knew Julian was trying to get through to Faye... well, that wouldn't be a problem, Faye decided. What would be a problem was if Gahiji found out Faye knew Julian wasn't dead. He then might decide to kill Julian just for spite.  


_Come little children, the time's come to play, here in my garden of magic..._

Faye let out a long breath and ran a hand across her face, closing her eyes. How long was that stupid song going to be stuck in her head? She rubbed her eyes tiredly, and restrained herself from calling out to Julian. An eerie sensation collected itself around her, mounting with intensity until a moment later, Faye knew she was no longer alone in the kitchen. The feeling was different from the deceivingly comfortable aura that Gahiji brought with him, though, and Faye's heart missed a beat.

_Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment..._

This feeling was frightening. Where Gahiji's presence had been all over the place, this one was unmoving. Faye slowly turned around and stopped. Deafening silence roared in her ears; the clock had stopped, the faint traffic sounds from far below were no longer audible; dead silence. It turned her muscles to ice and kept her locked in breathless anticipation. She knew she was face to face with something that she couldn't see, but something that could most definitely see her. She could feel eyes on her, piercing into her. _Not something. Some one. _Faye tried to swallow, and found she couldn't. She hoped it was Julian – and hoping wasn't a very comforting notion. She couldn't tell if it was him or not, because the presence was so alien and frightening.

_Come little children..._

"Julian, is that you?" Faye whispered, her words barely audible to her own ears.

_Come little children..._

Damn Sarah Jessica Parker, Faye thought with a flicker of annoyance, and felt her breath catch when she heard a footstep right in front of her. Clear, definite, heavy. Another.

_Come little children..._ The voice in her head altered, dropped a few vocal notches and grew deeper. Faye stood rooted to the spot, fear and uncertainty prodding through her limbs.

_The time's come to play..._ A male voice, faint and distant, with a striking elemental note to it that sent chills of sweet recognition through her. Another footstep; and she could feel his presence right in front of her. She wanted to reach out and touch the air before her, knowing for a certainty that she would feel something solid there, but not knowing how she would react to it. It was disconcerting not being able to see, but hear and sense and... lord save her – she could smell that stupid aftershave Jenny liked on him rolling across her in clouds of familiarity.

_"Here in my garden of shadows._"

Faye physically jolted away from the presence, heart beating up her throat in fright. _That_ voice hadn't been in her head – that was right in her ear, she'd felt the hot breath against her cheek, and it had been loud... and it had been _Julian. _Her hand was resting across her chest, and the next second the presence was simply gone. Faye slowly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and rested a shaky hand against the counter. She abandoned her cup of tea and hurried to the bedroom whilst trying not to knock anything over in her haste. She crawled under the covers and pushed up against Tom until a sleepy secure arm draped around her. Faye hid her face under the covers and pinched her eyes closed, willing down tears of an emotion she couldn't define.

It was one thing to get cheery and excited about communicating with Julian when an old lady claims to have made contact with him, and being dipped into a world of fantasy and happy endings.

It was a completely different experience when in reality, you never believed he was alive at all and to have his disembodied voice sing into your ear, loud and clear and beautiful, in a dark kitchen.


	24. Chapter 24

Christmas cheer was spread out in Vista Grande in a knitted blanket of reds and greens. The weather was overcast, and Faye could feel the chill through her thick wool coat as she rushed to do the last of the festive shopping. Even the grocery store was a madhouse, and Faye cursed Tom's stubborn pride in her mind.

_I don't need a list, he says. I'll remember everything, he says,_ Faye thought mockingly as she stepped into line with her basket of goodies. She eyed the lengthy line of shoppers in front of her, and scanned the equally long lines at the three other operating tills in the store. She would complain about there being over fifteen tills and only four occupied. She would even curse at the mass of people doing shopping at 2am in the morning, if she hadn't been one of them. Christmas Eve lay ahead later that day, and Faye didn't want to risk driving for an hour into California to find a store that would be open at the last minute.

Tom's family would be coming for dinner on Christmas Eve, and some of their friends. Tom was adamant it had to be just perfect; the decorations, the food, the wine, the music, he was even specific on what kind of wood they would burn in the fireplace. Faye didn't know why he had to try so hard to impress his family. She felt like running away when Christmas time came around.

_Why can't it just be the two of us for a change? No family with their demands, no friends to worry about, no stressing about the ham being overdone or about the pudding going soggy before it's serving time, no wondering how much our electricity bill will come up to with all the fairylights up and running..._ Faye's thoughts were interrupted when a faint voice in the back of her head threw a harsh reminder in the air. Because Tom's not Julian.

"Oh, wonderful." Faye muttered to herself, blinking away tears as she moved forward in the line. Takeaways, poker, and a funny dare – that's what her first Christmas on Earth had been like. Just her and Julian, having fun. Faye let out a deep sigh and rubbed her neck muscles as she moved another inch forward in line.

Since the incident in the kitchen on Halloween night, Faye had been trying not to think about Julian. He'd scared her off, for sure. But words would come back to her out of the blue in the weeks that passed by; the old lady repeating in confusion '_trapped between the dead'_, Julian's voice hauntingly echoing in her memory '_here in my garden of shadows'_.  
And then there were the verses from that weird poem that stuck in her head, '_Thy soul shall find itself alone, 'Mid dark thoughts of the gray tombstone_', '_The spirits of the dead who stood in life before thee are again in death around thee'_, and '_the mist upon the hill, Shadowy- shadowy--yet unbroken_'.

There were no missing pieces of the puzzle anymore. Faye knew that she knew where she would find Julian, but part of her kicked brakes against the thought and refused to look it full in the face. It was gruesome and sickening, which was part and parcel why she knew for a certainty that it was the answer.  
A grave.  
Julian was literally trapped between the dead – in a grave. In _his_ grave no less; Faye had driven past the little cemetery where Jenny had 'buried' him, and it was located on a hill. 'Here in my garden of shadows' was Julian's means of a joke. Faye knew how much he enjoyed hanging around graveyards when he'd been 'young'. _"It's the least conspicuous place to hang around on Earth. Besides, people who go there at night are expecting to see shadows, so I'm not breaking any rules."_ His laughing words drifted back to her from a faraway memory, and Faye shivered slightly.

The only thing she still hadn't made sense of was his muddled directions he'd given through the old woman. Julian will come back, and she'll have her cue – Faye knew what her cue was now. Something to do with drew drops and dreamers, what Jenny had told her ages ago when Faye had tried to reason with her about giving her baby up for adoption.  
And once she got her cue, she had to get it done and then quickly go find him. Finding Julian wouldn't be a problem because she knew where to find him now. None of it changed the matter that she was still as in the dark and confused about the directions as she'd been from the beginning. She didn't know what he expected of her. She was supposed to do something before she went to find him, but then he said he'd come back. So why would she need to find him if he comes back? She wouldn't need to, because he'd be right there...

Faye dismissed the thoughts as she finally reached the front of the line and unpacked her groceries. Fresh ginger, pitted prunes, lemon juice and several spices. Faye paid the cashier and collected the bag. She was in the process of stuffing the change back into her pocket as she stepped out of the warmth of the store and into the chilly night, when her mobile started to ring.

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Faye unlocked the car door and tossed the bag on the passenger seat beside her. She locked her door and turned on the heater, and only picked up her mobile when it stopped ringing. It was probably Tom calling to tell her about some other random ingredient they needed. It couldn't be anyone else at 2 o'clock in the morning before Christmas Eve.

But when Faye scanned the missed call, her breath caught and she squinted at the name in disbelief. _What the..._

Without hesitation, Faye redialled the number and waited as it rang once, twice...

"Hello?" A breathless voice choked into the phone.  
"Jenny, where are you?" Faye frowned, starting the engine. Alarm bells were going off in the back of her head, and something was urging her to move fast. There was no time for 'what's wrong' or 'why are you calling me so early'.

"I... I don't know. I was... on my way home from Dee's place... and something jumped into the road and I tried to swerve to miss it... oh ow..."  
"How far were you from Dee's place?" Faye asked, pulling out of the parking lot and steering the car in the direction of their friend's place.  
"I don't know... not that far, just down the road... around the first bend... or the second, I don't know!" Jenny gasped.  
"Are you hurt?" Faye asked, heart jamming up her chest.  
"No... yes... I'm not sure... I need help..."  
"I'm on my way, just hang on, okay? It's going to be all right, Jenny..."  
There was a choked sob on the other side.  
"Jenny, what were you doing leaving Dee's place so late?" Faye demanded, anger washing away worry. What a stupid thing for Jenny to do, driving around in the middle of the night by herself, while she was already past her due date no less!

"It wasn't late when I left... it was around 8ish... I don't know what to do!"  
"Okay, don't panic. Listen, I'm on my way right now... 8ish? Did you lose consciousness?" Faye asked, concern flooding through her once again and chasing away any traces of her momentary anger.

"No...ow...please hurry..." Jenny sobbed, and Faye felt a sense of foreboding.  
"Jenny, are you in labour?"  
"I don't know! Damn it, just help me!" Jenny nearly shrieked back.  
"Why didn't you call an ambulance, you dumb..." Faye held back the insult on the tip of her tongue and let out a deep breath. "Wonderful, Jenny. Just wonderful. Why are you calling me? Why didn't you call Dee, or an ambulance, or your mom..."  
"Because he wouldn't let me!"  
"He who?" Faye frowned, and felt icy fingers dig into her back as the truth sunk in. "Are you... just hang on, I'll be there in just a minute!"  
"Hurry, please... oh please..."

Faye threw her mobile on the seat beside her, Jenny's pleas muffled and distanced as she put her foot down. Red hot fury and cold fear clashed inside her chest. Oh, she loathed _him_. Faye had thought she could never hate anyone as much as she'd hated her owner, or her father, but she'd been dead wrong. Hatred pumped through her veins like adrenaline. If she could kill him with her bare hands, she would, even if she had to spend eternity in hell for it.  
_I wish I had the cube with me – see how he likes it_, Faye thought furiously.

She slowed her speed when she came closer to Dee's neighbourhood. She nearly missed the tell-tale signs of a car having skid off the road. Faye pulled onto the opposite side of the road and left her hazards on as she leapt from the car and jogged across the icy road. She wouldn't have found Jenny's car deeply wedged head-first into a ditch – thankfully having missed the river only a few feet away from it – if it hadn't been for Jenny's cries coming from within the wrecked car.

Faye saw no sign of anyone else around the car, and she yanked the door open unceremoniously. It smacked hard into a tree with a crunching sound that nearly made her cringe. The car light didn't turn on, and Faye could barely make out Jenny's blonde head in the dark.

"It's okay, Jenny, it's me." Faye said, placing a hand on the whimpering girl's shoulder. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."  
"No." Jenny sobbed.  
"Come _on_ Jenny. I know you're scared, but we need to go right now..."  
"_No!_" Jenny cried again. "I can't move!"  
"What?" Faye leaned closer and tried to squint into the dark interior of the car. "What do you mean? Jenny, can you feel your legs?"  
"Yes." Jenny choked.  
"Well, are you pinned somehow?" Faye frowned, confused.  
"_No_," Jenny snapped, and let out another crying sob.  
"Then I don't see any reason why you ..." Faye fell silent when Jenny started sobbing anew. Only this time, her sobs were accompanied by the haunting and alarming cry of a cat.

_Not a cat_, Faye's mind stalled and then kick-started by itself a second later. She shrugged off her coat and blindly reached into the car, carefully feeling her way around. Jenny's stomach, the seat, Jenny's leg, until her hand came to rest on a wriggling, trembling, slimy object where the cat-like cries were coming from.

"Okay, here we go." Faye said softly as Jenny gave another sob. She wrapped the coat around the small slippery being, and cradling it carefully in the crook of one arm, Faye helped Jenny out of the car. It was slow going as Jenny heavily leaned on Faye, and the walk up to the road was short but steep. Faye settled Jenny into the back of the car and covered her with one of the old blankets she used to put over the seats. She handed the thickly wrapped bundle to Jenny, then jumped into the car and started the engine.

She did a 360 spin and sped toward the hospital. The baby cried all the way to the hospital, and Jenny kept sobbing; it was a disconcerting symphony but it put Faye at ease that both were at least still alive.

"I couldn't get out of the car. I couldn't call anyone, my phone was completely dead. He wouldn't let me go for help. He said I wasn't going anywhere until he had the baby in his hands. I was so scared, Faye..." Jenny whimpered.

"I know." Faye glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Do you know where he is?"  
"No. No, he just disappeared when I told him I'm going to call you. I told him that you knew about Julian. I mean... I don't know what exactly, I was just trying to scare him."  
Faye blinked hard and shook her head. "And that did the job, did it?"  
"Yeah. Yeah it did. He left pretty quickly."  
Faye slowly let her breath out as she pulled up at the hospital entrance. "Stay here, I'll go get them."

A couple of hours later when Faye popped back into hospital with Tom to visit Jenny, they found her fast asleep in the ward. They rounded toward the nursery instead, with Tom mumbling that he should have been there and they wouldn't know which was Jenny's baby.  
"Then we can ask the staff to point out the baby to us. Don't be such a moaner, Tom." Faye chided cheerfully as they approached the large glass window overlooking the nursery.

There was a total of about twelve babies in the nursery, but Faye spotted Jenny's baby right away. It was nearest to the window, and the only baby awake but not crying. Faye put her fingers to her lips, staring in a mixture of wonder and regret.

"It looks just like Julian." Tom said after a few stunned moments of silence.  
It did. The mass of fine white-blonde hair on the tiny head was unmistakable. The baby's face was still a bit swollen, but its eyes were open and navy blue eyes blinked at the ceiling lights.  
"Auw, baby girl," Faye murmured, placing her fingers against the glass lightly.  
"How do you know it's a girl?" Tom frowned at the baby.  
"I was there when she was born." Faye rolled her eyes in response.  
"Yeah, but you said it was dark and you couldn't see anything."

"Tom, just shut up." Faye said. "I know what I'm talking about."  
Faye stayed there for a while longer, wondering how Julian would react to this sight. She finally headed back to the recovery ward with Tom, but when they found Jenny still asleep they left their congratulatory card and flower bouquet on her night table before leaving.

The rest of the day was spent rushing around the penthouse trying to get everything organised for the evening; the presents were labelled, the dining table set, the fireplace was set alight, and the kitchen was a mess of cooking food.

Christmas Eve went down just like every other Christmas Eve. On Christmas day, Faye was just relieved to have everyone gone, and she directed Tom to get the place cleaned up so she could have some rest. Boxing day was spent at Tom's brother's place, and New Years was celebrated with a couple of friends in the roof garden of the penthouse where the best view of the fireworks displays were seen.

The festive season settled down soon after as it was 'back to work', and Faye was working out the remaining days before her baby's arrival when she mentioned to Tom they ought to go visit Jenny.

"She must be home by now. I'm just dying to hold that little angel in my arms." Faye said as she absently chewed on the back of a pen.  
"Okay, we can go visit her. But Faye, you know that Jenny went through with it, right?" Tom said gently.  
"Went through with what?" Faye sighed, crossing out a few days on their calendar.  
"The adoption."  
Faye's head snapped up and she stared at him for one long horrible moment. "What? Wait, when did this happen?" Faye asked in disbelief.  
"On Christmas day. The adoption agency said that the foster parents were pretty happy about their 'Christmas present'."  
"_What_? I can't believe this! Who are they? Do you know who they are?" Faye demanded.  
"The foster parents? No, Faye," Tom shook his head with a worried frown. "None of us know. Not even Jenny knows. That's the way it works."  
"Bull!" Faye snapped back. "What agency was it?"  
"St Mary's, I think, but Faye..."  
"I'll be home late. Don't wait up." Faye called over her shoulder as she rushed from the penthouse. Within ten minutes, she was pulling into the parking lot outside St Mary's, praying that she would bring that little baby back home before nightfall.

Ooo888ooO

_**A/N: Hi to my readers. This was just a little chapter I managed to squeeze in today. I haven't reviewed it, so if there are spelling errors, forgive me. I don't have much time to spend on this story – as stated in my Bio, I'm pretty preoccupied – but I thought I'd pop this one in during a nap ;) Hope you like.**_


	25. Beautiful Dreamer

Despite all the charm and mind games Faye had mastered in the past centuries, she failed miserably in her frantic search of Jenny's baby. Not that her deceiving words and empty promises didn't have the right people wrapped around her finger – the problem was that she was simply too late.

Her search for Julian's heir led from St Mary's in Vista Grande, to catching a train to Phoenix, Arizona, and hopping on the red-eye to New York City, before catching another plane down to Florida. That's where her extensive search ran dead a week later. She was given the name of an orphanage that no longer existed, and appointment after appointment with supervisors and managers of all the other orphanages in that region proved fruitless.

And that's when Tom called her, at first demanding to know where she was and asking her to come home.  
"You're nearly full term, Faye. You can't go flying around the country anymore, you need to come home. Look, I've booked us a suite on the Pacific Cruise Liner. We both need a break, and I read something about having a babymoon, you know like a honeymoon but..."  
"Tom, I'm not going anywhere until I've found that baby." Faye cut off Tom's cheerful chatter.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore, Faye. Didn't he call you? I gave him your number, I guess it must have slipped his mind..."  
"Tom, I need to go, okay." Faye said, tears of frustration and self-blame thick in her eyes.  
"Faye, wait! Did you know about Julian?"  
Faye stood frozen for a second, perplexed. "Ah, what?" And somehow, she knew what he was going to say.

"He's gotten out of the Shadow World. I can't believe Jenny hasn't told you, but then she's been so happy and overwhelmed with him being back, I suppose she hasn't gotten time to tell you yet. Weird that he hasn't called to tell you himself, though..."  
"When did this happen?" Faye asked, her voice turning weak in disbelief.  
"He got here a couple of days after you left. Look, honey, come home. We'll go on the cruiser – Julian and Jenny are going, too. I think we all need a breather from everything, and it will do you good."

"Does Julian know about the baby?" Faye licked her lips, frowning slightly.  
"Yeah, he does. I mean, I haven't talked to him about it, but he said he's been able to see everything that's been happening while he was stuck in the Shadow World... and I'm sure he and Jenny have discussed this before and they're probably planning on rectifying that, but I'm not going to butt into something that's none of my business." Tom's voice had turned somewhat sour toward the end.  
"So you haven't asked them what they're going to do about it? Tom, you can't just _assume_ they've talked about this." Faye said.  
"And I can't just throw it in their faces and demand to know their plan of action either, Faye. This is their problem to sort out, I have no reason to mingle with their business." Tom said.

Faye hung up after promising to catch the first flight back to California, which she discovered to her dismay wouldn't be until much later the following morning. She'd have thought she would be excited that Julian was safe, but part of her recoiled at the mere idea to face him again. The motel room she managed to book into that evening was modest with a partial view of the ocean. Though, Faye was unable to sleep, and so she found herself sitting in a slight ditch in the woods beside the beach, the bush and shrubbery around her forming an alcove of solitude - a little forte – at the break of dawn.

She watched the navy blue of the night stain with the lighter hues of dawn, morphing into warmer tones until the horizon was a canvas of pink and orange streaks. She knew she had to go checkout at the motel and grab a cab to the airport if she was going to make the plane, but part of her refused to budge from the peaceful place. Faye thought it was the beauty of the scenery around her that kept her prisoner, and she enjoyed a few more moments of the blissful silence. Soon the beach would fill up, and the quiet would be disrupted by the sounds of human laughter and voices.

Faye sighed softly, afraid to disturb the tranquillity around her. There was the light ruffle of a breeze through the leaves, the ocean waves muffled from this distance. _So quiet_, Faye thought with a pang of longing. She felt safe here; the woods seemed to have a certain presence that soothed her, as though it cradled her protectively with its mere breath. Nothing would touch her here, nothing would disturb her. She could stay here forever and she'd be in heaven. No, not even heaven could possibly give her this... emotion.

Faye tilted her head back to gaze up at the canopy of dried leaves and twigs that winter left behind. She closed her eyes when the gentle breeze circled down and caressed her face with unseen fingers. It wasn't entirely quiet. She could hear music, or at least it sounded like music to her ears.  
_Raindrops_, Faye thought after a moment of listening intently. It sounded like heavy raindrops falling onto crystal, the sweet sounds echoing in the small space. She enjoyed the sounds, trying to follow the tune with her mind, to place which sound it might play next.

Faye listened to the unsteady rhythm a few more minutes, until the disconcerting realization slowly dawned on her that she recognized the tune. _Beau...ti...ful...drea....mer...wake on...to thee...star...light...and dew...drops...are wai...ting...for...thee_, Faye sang the words in her mind, and opened her eyes to glance around her, slightly disoriented. It wasn't raindrops falling around her on the rocks.  
"Dew." Faye whispered, watching another drop of dew roll from one of the browned leaves to land on a rock. Dewdrops and dreamers. Faye stared at the wet rocks for a long minute, her mind cast into momentary stupor. _My cue_.  
_My cue for what_? Faye wondered even as she left the ditch and made her way back to the motel.


	26. Julian

To say the fifteen minute drive from the small airport in Vista Grande to the security complex of villas felt like an eternity, was an understatement of note. Faye sat with her hands curled into claws on her lap, rigid and silent, eyes blindly watching the scenery pass by the window. She glanced at Dee and Summer in the rear view mirror, both with pleasant expressions on their faces and eager eyes as they filled her in on Julian's grand entrance when he'd returned the week before.

"...It was the most awesome feeling, I swear, when I opened the door and saw him standing there on the doorstep. And I was all fuelled up and ready to tell that nosy neighbour of Jenny's to just take a hike, and instead _bam_, there he is! In real life!" Summer was bubbling over.  
"She thought he was a ghost." Dee added with a skew grin.  
"Yeah, I kind of slammed the door in his face and just stood there for a few seconds." Summer admitted, her cheeks tinged with red.

"For a few minutes." Dee corrected and chuckled. "I found her just staring at the door, I thought she was going to faint when I asked her who it was."  
Faye pursed her lips together when the two pairs of eyes in the back rested on her, waiting for a response. "Jenny must have been stoked." Faye finally offered weakly.  
"She was – she burst into tears when she saw him, and they just held each other crying." Summer nodded excitedly.

Faye blinked slowly. Julian – crying? She could barely picture it. She believed Julian was well beyond capable of shedding a tear, even in the most emotional of times. Trying to imagine tears running down those perfect cheekbones of his was just ridiculous. It wasn't in his _nature_ to express his emotions in such a... human way. Faye pursed her lips again, glancing out the window. Things just weren't adding up at all. If Julian had come back from the Shadow World, he would have been on her side helping her search for _his_ child before even considering showing his face to Jenny.

Faye sent a quick glance at Tom, and did a double take when she found him watching her with a slight frown on his face.  
"Are you okay?" Tom asked worriedly.  
Faye managed a nod, and tried to swallow. Another thought had occurred to her, and she hesitated before voicing the question, knowing that the answer she got would be the final determining factor of how she would behave from hereon.

"Who's idea was it to go on the cruise?" Faye asked, unable to hide the nervous tremor in her voice.  
"Does it matter?" Tom asked, arching his eyebrows in surprise.  
"Not really." Faye lied, shrugging as she looked away.  
"It was Julian's, actually. He thought it would be a good way for him and Jenny to... reconnect, and get away from the pressures of life for a week or two."

"Interesting." Faye mumbled, glaring down at her hands. Julian had to 'reconnect' to Jenny? It wasn't only gut instinct that was telling her what the reality was - stealing Jenny away from her family and friends for a fortnight had Gahiji written all over it. No doubt Tom had decided to invite himself onboard with them, and with Faye tagging along it might spoil whatever malicious plan Gahiji had in mind...  
"He's really looking forward to it. I mean, to catching up with you, too." Tom added.

"Oh. He said that?" Faye gave Tom a sidelong glance.  
"Yeah, well that's why he invited us along." Tom said.  
"So... Julian invited you and me to go on a two week cruise with him and Jenny?" Faye asked, disbelief colouring every word.  
"Yeah. Faye, what's wrong?" Tom asked, clearly annoyed.  
"Don't you find it odd?" Faye asked, turning slightly to face him and leaning back against the car door.

_Don't you find it strange that Julian would invite you and me, of all people, to go on a ship with him and Jenny? Have you forgotten that Julian still isn't all that fond of you, Tom? I don't think he ever will be, not even for my sake. And don't you find it strange that he would invite us on a SHIP? Oh, I'm sure it slipped your mind that my deepest and most unfounded fear is the ocean, Tom, that's forgivable, you're only human after all. But Julian wouldn't forget... and Gahiji doesn't know, _Faye did the silent conversation in her head even as Tom shook his head in total confusion.

"Why should it be odd?" Tom asked, but Faye responded with a shake of her head before straightening in her seat again.  
"You don't look excited to see him." Tom commented after a moment of silence.  
"Looks can be deceiving." Faye replied curtly, then turned to flash him a bright smile. "Trust me, I'm really looking forward to seeing him again."

They pulled into the complex, and the car had barely come to a full stop in front of the villa when Faye flung her door open and unsteadily got out. She walked around to the front door, a plan already formed in her head. _You devious little devil_, Faye thought proudly even as the door began to open. Jenny appeared, glowing with happiness, her figure nearly back to its previous slender shape.

Faye halted in her steps when Julian appeared beside Jenny, dressed in khakis and a plain blue shirt, eyes as blue and sharp as she recalled, features exactly as it was carved into her memory bank. The corner of his lip twitched into a half-smile as Faye stepped right up to him, and she ran her fingers shamelessly up the perfectly toned muscles of his arm. Jenny stood slightly aside, obviously not knowing exactly how to respond to this behaviour as she stared uneasily at Faye's hand.

Faye ran her fingers across his shoulder and then placed her hand flat across his chest for a moment. Then she carefully caught his chin in her hand and met his gaze evenly.  
"Gahiji must have either let you off easy, or you slaughtered his ass before he could do you off first. You wouldn't be standing here in one piece with a beating heart if it didn't go down well for you." Faye said lightly, then stepped away from him abruptly and offered a wide smile. "It's good to see you."

"Like you missed me all that much." Julian retorted, amused as he straightened back up. His lips curled into a breath taking smile as he slid his arm around Jenny's shoulders. "Come on in, guys."  
Crisps and dip were set out on the coffee table, and after everyone was handed a beverage and seated, Faye got right into the heart of the matter.

"Tom told me you invited us on the cruiser." Faye said, watching Julian closely. His every move was graceful, familiar, his voice just like she remembered.  
"I thought it would be good for us to spend some quality time together." Julian nodded confidently and eyed Faye suspiciously. "We're over the distrust stage – the truth came out during the game, remember? There should be no reason for us to not enjoy one another's company."  
"You're spot on." Faye said and reached for a crisp. "Maybe something good _did_ come of that whole escapade."

Julian's smile in response was genuine. Faye shifted uncomfortably on the seat and looked away, well aware that his eyes were absorbing her every action and dissecting it.

"We've got some brochures on the Pacific cruiser, if you want to have a look," Jenny was saying, and Faye accepted the little booklet Jenny handed to her. "Tom wasn't so sure that you'd like to come because you're so close to your due date, but Julian said you'd jump at the chance."  
"Ah, ha," Faye arched an eyebrow and sent a brief glance at Julian. "You know me too well."

She cringed inwardly when Tom gave her a discreetly unhappy look. She had to play this carefully – the last thing she needed to do now was cause serious doubt in her relationship with Tom. Faye paged through the brochure quietly, barely taking in the millions of activities and pictures advertised. Dee and Jenny were planning on borrowing one of Zach's high-tech cameras for the trip, and Summer was adding her own two cents every now and again on where they could go shopping for clothes. Faye listened half-heartedly as Tom and Julian discussed the weather for the duration of the cruise, and she watched Tom from the corner of her eye.

It had to be tough for Tom, being jealous by nature, and having every reason not to fully trust Julian. Faye contemplated what would happen if she went through with her plan; a little game of deceit with only one player. It might push Jenny to the brink of insanity, again, but that was a risk Faye was more than willing to take. Julian would clean up the mess Faye had concocted without judgement or complaints; if he knew her at all, he would have predicted to what measures she would go to complete the task at hand.

But Tom... Tom was another story. Faye didn't want to imagine what he would do if she acted out her plan in front of him. The memory of his eyes filled with fury and hurt when they'd been tested to their limits in the Shadow World, remained a haunting nightmare in her mind's eye. She didn't want him to look at her like that again. Faye tossed the alternatives about for a few minutes, until she came to a solid decision. She would tell Tom the truth, prepare him for what lay ahead.

"It's our first time out on a cruise liner... I so can't wait for Friday!" Jenny was gushing excitedly, resting her hand on Julian's as she comfortably leaned back in the couch.  
Faye glanced at their hands, and licked her lips as she turned another page. "Maybe_ your _first time." Faye said and glanced up innocently when she felt all eyes rest on her quizzically. "Julian and I were on the Titanic. And the Olympic. But I'm sure the cruise liners have changed a bit since then."  
"A bit." Julian agreed, but Faye could tell he was as stunned as everyone else.  
_Gahiji, you're such an idiot_, Faye mused to herself.

"What were you doing on the Titanic? You were on it when it _sank_?" Summer asked, confused.  
"We thought it would be... fun to check it out." Faye shrugged and winked at Julian with a mischievous grin. "Obviously we got off before it hit."  
"That's... well..." Jenny searched for words to break the awkward silence that descended in the room. "Interesting."  
Faye grinned wider at her word choice, and closed the brochure. "So, when are we going shopping? We've only got two days to get geared up for the trip, so let's get to it."


	27. Preparation

Shopping wasn't one of Faye's favourite pastimes, and she was reminded again exactly why that was as she descended upon boutique after boutique in the mall with her friends. If she didn't find anything she liked in a store, she was nearly bored to tears waiting for Jenny to go through a pile of clothes. And when she finally did find something that caught her eye, it wasn't available in her size – and being thrice the volume she'd once been, Faye found it highly depressing. Blaming it on being pregnant wasn't a good enough excuse, it was still demoralizing browsing through the extra-extra large sections, while Jenny was able to go through the small to medium racks.

Faye didn't let her blues show, though. She smiled and laughed along with the others, enthusiastically giving her verdict on which outfits looked good on Jenny and which ones didn't. If she had to be honest, she was slightly envious of Jenny's golden looks.  
"Oh, I love _this!_" Faye exclaimed as she pulled a low cut red blouse from a rack and pressed it across her swollen stomach.  
"Maybe you shouldn't go for red, Faye." Jenny said honestly.  
"Why not?" Faye asked, twirling in a circle and beaming at Jenny. She knew why – red could make even Nicole Richie look fat – and Faye secretly was thankful for Jenny's honesty. "Julian loves red."

"Oh." Jenny said after a moment's pause, giving Faye a sidelong look filled with suspicion. She didn't press the issue, but with the hints Faye let rip throughout the rest of the day, she was sure she'd given everyone the impression she was more excited about spending time with Julian than going on the actual cruise.  
"Julian loves strawberry sundaes." Faye commented as they settled at a diner for lunch and put their orders down for pudding.  
It was causing some discomfort for Dee and Audrey, who kept glancing at Jenny discreetly as Faye continued her little raving fit about Julian throughout the day.

Faye was convinced Jenny was suspecting something was going on by the time they parted at the end of the day to go home. Stepping into the penthouse, Faye could smell the comforting aroma of bolognaise boiling on the stove. Tom glanced up from where he was draining spaghetti in the sink, and cast her a warm smile.

"How was your day?" Tom asked lightly.  
"It was good."  
"Did you find something you liked?" Tom glanced at the parcels Faye placed down in the hallway by the front door.  
"Nope. I had to get something, though." Faye shrugged, tip toeing over to give him a kiss on the cheek, before leaning back against the kitchen counter and watching him. "I need to talk to you, Tom."

"Go ahead, I'm listening." Tom said, pulling two plates from the cupboard.  
Faye watched him for a moment as he dished up for them, and then decided the best way would be to just come right out with it.  
"Julian isn't who he says he is." Faye started slowly. "He's fake, Tom. I know this for a fact, because Julian warned me what was going to happen. He's still in the Shadow World, I think... I hope." Faye said quietly to herself, then cleared her throat and watched Tom take out a cold salad from the fridge. "It's Gahiji. He's pretending to be Julian, and I don't know why. He might be planning to kill the three of us – me, you and Jenny – because he might have discovered where Julian's baby is, and he wants to make sure that we won't come after him when he goes to kidnap the baby. Or maybe he wants us out of the equation because he knows I know that Julian isn't dead."

Faye paused, and licked her lips before continuing uncertainly. "That's the only reason I can think why he'd invite us out on a cruise ship. Far away from help. But I've got a plan to confuse him, long enough to banish him from this world and seal him away from his own. See, I'm planning to mislead him, to throw him off and buy us a little bit more time. I'm going to act as though Julian and I are... together... if you understand what I mean."

Faye fell silent, intently watching Tom's back as he finished dishing up their plates and poured two glasses of orange juice. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling, and she waited nervously for his response.  
But when Tom turned to face her, he didn't look angry, or disbelieving.  
"I thought we were done with this nonsense." Tom said, annoyance tinting his voice a slight note deeper. "So you'll be able to get rid of this guy, once and for all?"  
"Yeah." Faye nodded.

"Then you have my full support." Tom sighed tiredly, and handed her a plate of food. "Now, let's eat. I'm starving."

**Ooo888ooO**

Walking up the boardwalk toward the enormous cruise liner took every ounce of Faye's self control and cool. Not that she didn't enjoy hanging around the docs and watching the jelly fish under the sea green water, but this was different.  
She was going to do the one thing she vowed she would never be caught dead doing. _Don't freak out, don't freak out_, Faye ordered herself repeatedly as she climbed the stairs up to the deck of the liner. Her grip automatically tightened on Tom's hand. Her muscles were taking strain from keeping up the excited expression plastered on her face.

She managed to keep her gaze well away from the edges of the enormous deck. If she had to look out at the vast expanse of the ocean now, she would faint, or run right back off the ship.  
"Wow," Jenny breathed next to her.  
"There's a play on in the theatre in half an hour," Tom was saying. "You always wanted to go see Cats, right?"  
"Right," Faye thought she sounded too chirpy.  
"We'll catch you guys on the Captain's Deck for lunch afterwards," Tom called over his shoulder as he led Faye into the ship.  
Faye barely felt at ease with the solid walls surrounding her as they made their way to their suite. She sank down weakly on the bed when they stepped into the luxurious room with chiffon drapes and silk linen.

"Can I get you anything?" Tom asked worriedly as he put down their bags.  
"I'm okay. I think." Faye said. "I don't know if it's such a good idea leaving him alone with Jenny for so long..."  
"You'd rather stick to them like glue and make him suspicious then?" Tom asked, and sighed as he sat down beside her. "If you give them some space, you'll be giving him the impression that you trust him with Jenny, as it should be, right?"  
"Right. You're right." Faye closed her eyes, running her hand through her purse to feel the solid, cold sharp edges of the cube nestled securely inside.  
"You can take your plan into action at lunch, if you think it's necessary." Tom added.  
"Of course it is." Faye said, and dropped her head in her hands. Logic told her Gahiji would have them all dead before dusk fell. She had to move fast – lunch time would have to do.


	28. Open air

Faye smacked her lips together, pushing aside her empty soup bowl as she watched the endless horizon through the floor to ceiling windows around the restaurant. Sharing her opinion on the Cats play lasted for about half a minute – plays weren't her thing, it turned out.  
Jenny and Julian had gone for a stroll around the ship in Tom and Faye's absence. Just now Jenny was filling them in on the spa pools on the higher deck where cocktails would be served for free at noon that day.

Faye let her gaze wander from the breathtaking view of nothing but ocean, admitting that in some part of her terrified mind it _was_ a beautiful sight. She glanced at Tom's half empty plate, and then her eyes lifted to meet electric blue.  
It was only a few minutes that they stared right at one another from across the table. Jenny fell silent suddenly, and Tom cleared his throat in mock embarrassment.

Faye contemplated ripping the cube out right then there under the table and having it all over with, but with Julian's eyes fixed on her it would be impossible to do it inconspicuously. Besides, half the people on board would probably freak out. And then there was the flicker of self-doubt seeping into her subconscious. She would have been fooled, completely, by his brilliant impersonation. He said the things Faye would imagine Julian would say, in the tone of voice he would use. Everything about him was screaming with certainty that it was Julian, and if Faye didn't believe that Gahiji would kill them in less than a few hours, she would have gladly dismissed her doubts and accepted him as Julian.

"So." Julian's voice had changed to a threatening tone, and Faye picked up the faint echo of Gahiji's voice. Her mind stalled for a second as she realized he was about to wrap things up, unexpectedly soon.

Denial was a flicker of light that was quickly chased away – there was no security in the thought that Gahiji wouldn't murder them in a public place, surrounded by twenty or more people, because no one on board held any threat to him. He would simply vanish once he finished killing them.  
"So." Faye repeated in the same tone of voice, leaning back in her chair. Her mind had started working again, and she grasped onto the first thing solid enough to keep Gahiji from acting out on the spot. "I've been waiting for this."

"You have?" Julian asked, arching thick eyebrows in doubt.  
"Taking us out on a fancy cruise," Faye motioned briefly with her hands, "So that I wouldn't be able to avoid you or hide from you, unless I decide to jump over board..."

Julian didn't answer, studying her angrily. His plan wasn't going as he'd hoped, then.  
"Well... I have to admit, you're right. It's about time we talked about this..." Faye glanced at Jenny before meeting Julian's eyes again meaningfully. "And I guess this is better than when you wanted to 'discuss' it in the Shadow World. Hell, I don't know why you would want Gahiji to have found out – he'd been listening when you tried to broach the topic, you know."

Faye felt a glimmer of hope flare in her chest. She just might be able to pull this off – she most certainly had his whole attention.  
"You should thank me for shutting you up when I did. We hid it so well from Gahiji for ages, you'd have been pretty ticked off if he'd found out about us. It would have given him that extra ammo he wanted to destroy us... probably would have invented some smart-ass game to break us, too." Faye added.

"Us." Julian repeated, curiosity spreading through his gaze.  
"You and me." Faye said and frowned at him. "Don't pretend to be dumb now. It was _your_ idea to air this out."  
"Wait, what are you saying?" Jenny had scooted her chair back slightly, and her green eyes were piercing as she looked from Faye to Julian and back. "I _thought_ you were acting differently. I wanted to dismiss it that you were just excited things are okay between you guys now, but Audrey was right when she said you were acting like... like you were in love with Julian."  
Faye held her hands up in mock surrender, offering an innocent grimace. "I wish we'd told you earlier, Jenny, but we thought it would be best this way."

"But... but the game in the Shadow World... and... I don't believe this. I can't believe it." Jenny said, eyes bright with unshed tears.  
"I'm sorry, Jenny." Faye said gently, and she meant it.  
"_I_ knew it." Tom said quietly, and everyone turned to look at Tom's pale, strained expression. He finally looked up at Julian, and slowly rose to his feet. "So. You win again."  
They seemed to seize each other up for a brief moment, before Tom abruptly turned and briskly left the restaurant, head down. Faye watched him go, stunned.

"All I want to know is why." Jenny said, her trembling voice catching Faye's attention. She wasn't looking at either of them, staring blindly at the table in front of her, and tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Why did you deny the truth even when I confronted you about it?"  
"It wasn't time to tell you yet." Julian's reply was casual and smooth, and Faye pursed her lips uncertainly.  
"But... why me? I thought you loved me." Jenny whispered shakily and finally looked at him through teary eyes.  
Faye snorted. "You're so vain, Jenny, it's verging on pathetic. Do you really think a powerful being of darkness would fall in _love_ with vermin that managed to lock him away in a closet – _twice_?"

"I... I didn't..." Jenny stammered, shaking her head slowly.  
"It doesn't matter whether you're the one who locked him in or let him out. Either way, you were messing with forbidden things, innocent or not." Faye snapped. "You were looking for trouble."  
Jenny had leapt to her feet with a heartbreaking sob before Faye even finished talking. They watched quietly as Jenny fled the restaurant, nearly knocking a platter out of a waiter's hand on her way. The second she was gone, Faye turned back to Julian with a beaming grin on her face.

"That went well." Faye commented.  
"Better than expected." Julian agreed.  
Faye slowly let her breath out as she casually observed their surroundings. She caught Julian's gaze, resting on her swollen stomach. There was a new look in his eyes, one that sent chills down her spine, and when he smiled at her she could see the evil behind his angelic mask.  
"Shall we go for a walk?"  
"Why not." Faye shrugged, and allowed him to lead her from the restaurant. "You know, now that it's all out in the open, we might as well go back."

"Back?" Julian asked.  
"To the Shadow World." Faye could tell her reply startled him. "There's no point hanging around here anymore. Besides, I'm so bored it's not even funny."  
"Sure. Whenever you want, just say the word." Julian said slowly.  
Faye smiled at him as they walked along the deck. She felt like being sick, being so close to the edge, hearing the waves far below sloshing against the sides of the ship. She entwined her fingers through his, ignoring the chill of his skin against hers, and glided toward the back of the ship on his side.


	29. The End

It felt wrong, strolling down the length of a magnificent ship on the wide blue, with a boy who could easily have passed as one of God's angels on her side. Holding Julian's hand made her feel awkward and self-aware, despite repeating over and over to herself that it wasn't really Julian. Not that holding Gahiji's hand was any better – at any rate, Faye had always avoided touching_ him_ at all.  
But she and Julian had always had that unspoken border between them. Faye knew her human nature would be her weakness and sooner or later she would fall in love with Julian if they were too intimate; if they got too close on a physical level that was unnecessary. She didn't want to think how Julian would respond to his creator falling in love with him.

It was all in the dynamics of predator versus prey – the predator blinding the prey with its beauty, attracting it with his scent, his smile, his voice, and then inevitably pouncing and tearing his prey to shreds when it least expects it. In Julian's world, that was the current that ran beneath every shadow man's game; a cat toying with its prey before devouring it. Faye trusted and acted on her instincts to keep her at a safe distance from Julian – a century or two in the realm of shadows had burned that into her as a second nature before his existence – yet she remained close enough to him to be safe.

Still, it was a daunting factor that clouded her heart in fear. It was the reason why she never told Julian the truth, why she'd avoided that specific conversation and shied away from him whenever he would get that look on his face, and his tone of voice would change to something beautiful and foreign to her ears. That was what he'd been trying to talk to her about in the Shadow World, of course. To confront her or demand answers, Faye didn't know which, and hoped she would never find out. It was clear Julian knew she was human now; but Gahiji was oblivious to that fact, having bought her ridiculous lie that it was about her and Julian being _together_.

Faye chewed her lip, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. The people around them were getting sparse. _Just around this corner now, if no one is in sight I'll just..._ Faye thought, eyeing the path up ahead.  
"What are you thinking about?" Julian asked suddenly.  
"You." Faye answered truthfully.  
"Oh?" Julian pressed lightly.  
"Just remembering all the things that happened between us." Faye added softly.  
"Would those be good things or bad things?"  
"A bit of both, I guess." Faye smiled and looked away when Julian turned to study her face.  
"Care to share those memories with me?" Julian asked curiously as they continued walking at a leisurely pace.  
"In a few minutes." Faye said, and counted their slow steps until they reached the corner. It took her a split second to be assured no one was in sight, before she grabbed Julian by his arms and pushed him against the white painted metal wall. She only succeeded in pinning him to the wall because he'd been caught off guard, and as he tried to recover, Faye leaned closer to him, standing on her toes.

Julian froze, blue eyes looking down at her in a mixture of surprise and tension. "What are you doing?"  
"I wanted to say thank you in the only way I know how," Faye murmured, purposely hovering her lips only inches from his. She lifted her gaze to meet his stunned eyes. "I didn't know how else to express to you exactly how thankful I am for everything you've done..." The cube was in her hand, solid and cool. "So I made you a gift."  
"What kind of gift?" Suspicion crept into his voice.  
"One that you, and only you, deserve." Faye breathed and then stepped back as electric blue turned alligator green and morphed into glowing golden eyes that harboured as much loathing as she felt within herself.

Faye had her fingers on the lid of the cube, secure in her grasp, ready to lift it at any given moment. No matter how fast his reflexes were, Gahiji wouldn't be quick enough to stop her from lifting the lid and dooming him for eternity.  
"I thought to send you to hell, but you've already been there." Faye added coldly.  
"You _tricked_ me?" It was a cry of fury and humiliation; the trickster outwitted by the audience.  
"So instead, I'm sending you nowhere. Where you don't have a voice, or a body, or breath, or power, or sensation, where there is no light and no dark. You'll be nowhere, and you'll be nothing." Faye ignored his outburst. "Forever."

She lifted the lid abruptly and easily, and nearly dropped it when the persona of Julian with Gahiji's golden eyes literally dissolved into a thick hovering blur of shadow that shot straight toward her with startling speed. But the blur didn't make contact with her; it coiled itself into the cube, straining and thinning as it did so, as though it was resisting some unseen force pulling it inside. There was no sound, only the roar of the ocean far below, and the erratic thudding of her heart in her ears.

It took all of two seconds to end, and Faye felt an overwhelming weight rolling off her shoulders as she carefully placed the lid back on the cube. She turned the cube this way and that, mixing up the symbols carved onto its midnight surface, until she wouldn't have been able to get it back to its original state even if she tried her best.

She watched people stroll past as she leaned against the wall, her mind drifting back to Julian as she fidgeted with the cube. Now Gahiji was out of the way, Julian would be free of the Shadow World. Or that's what she thought, anyway. Which in itself was more nerve-wrecking than what she'd just done.

Julian had been serious when he'd said they would talk about this, about her being human, once they got back. Even though unforeseen circumstances kept them both from coming back, there was no doubt in Faye's mind that Julian would make good on his promise. It chilled her.

Her mind was still lingering hauntingly on this matter when a couple of hours later, Tom and Jenny found her sitting on a bunk nearby the spa pools, alone and empty handed.  
"How did it go?" Tom asked, glancing around wearily as he sat down beside her.  
Faye glanced at him quickly and shrugged. "As planned."  
"Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine." Faye said and glanced up when Jenny spoke.  
"Where is he?"  
Faye opened her mouth, and closed it again at the sight of her. Her green eyes were rimmed with red and slightly swollen, her face gently flushed.  
"Jenny, I'm _so_ sorry." Faye said quietly.  
Jenny frowned and shook her head slightly. "Don't be. I was an idiot. Tom told me what was going on."

Faye looked at Tom for a surprised moment. "Oh."  
"She was in pieces, and she deserved to know what's going on." Tom said defiantly.  
"I know. I didn't say she didn't." Faye frowned at him, and sighed. "I locked him in a box and threw him in the deepest part of the sea."  
"With the key?" Tom asked after a moment.  
"There is no key." Faye smiled proudly. "I just wish Julian had been here to see it."  
"Where is Julian, do you know?" Jenny asked, hopeful.

Faye stared at Jenny blankly, before memory kicked her into motion.  
"A grave. He's in his grave!"  
"What?" Jenny asked, her cheeks going pale and her eyes wide in surprise.  
"That's where he is. He told me, once I'm done, I need to go find him and quickly, because he's in his grave." Faye said, unsteadily getting to her feet. "We need to call someone – Dee and Michael and Zach, call them and tell them to get him out."  
"Slow down, Faye," Tom grabbed her by the arms, and Faye realized she was panicking then. "You're saying Julian's in his grave?"  
"Yes, _yes!_"  
"But we didn't find his body, remember? He was stuck in the Shadow World – we didn't bury _him_." Tom said gently.  
"Yeah, I know, but he's in his grave, Tom..."  
"You mean he's dead?" Jenny asked, confused.  
"No. _No_. He's _in_ his grave!" Faye looked from one worried face to the other. "I'm _telling _you! Don't look at me like that!"  
"Come sit down, Faye. We'll get you something to drink and once you're calm, we can talk about this..." Tom said worriedly.

"Are you nuts? _He's in a grave_!" Faye hiccupped when all eyes around them turned to look at her. "There's _no time_ to waste by just sitting here and _talking_..."  
She'd lost control. Faye knew she wasn't helping the situation by freaking out; but then she hadn't bargained on being on a ship in the ocean somewhere when the time came for her to go find Julian.  
A doctor onboard was eventually summoned to give her something to calm her down, and once she regained her calm, Faye didn't speak another word to anyone. The menacing thought played through her mind mercilessly – Julian was going to suffocate before she could get to him. He would be dead by the time she reached him – no one could survive in a coffin six feet under the ground for two weeks. And who could she possibly call who would help her, who would listen to her and dig up someone's grave?

It was nearly dusk when one of the sympathetic waiters came over to her, while she was alone for a few minutes as Tom had gone to fetch a blanket for her, and Jenny was ordering drinks at the counter for them.  
"Hey. The ship docs in Port Angeles in twenty minutes – we've run out of stock here at the restaurant and need to do a top-up – if you want to go home, it would be your best bet to get off there." The young boy said to her in a low voice.  
Faye blinked up at him, stunned. "Thank you. _Thank you_."  
Then he was gone, and Tom was back on her side. Faye wouldn't have known they were stopping at the harbour in Port Angeles if she hadn't been listening to the slight commotion of the crew around her. Tom didn't seem aware of their stop-over, so Faye mildly excused herself to go to the ladies room when she was certain the ship had come to a complete halt.

It wasn't hard to find the ramp off the ship. Faye restrained herself from pushing staff aside as she bounded down the stairs. Her feet sounded across the wooden docs, and as though it had been waiting for her all this time, a taxi met her on the other end. The drive to the airport seemed to take ages, and the 45 minute flight couldn't have ended any sooner for her.

The moment her feet touched home ground, Faye caught a cab to the Riley residence. It was her luck that the three stooges were just leaving their house – on another rampage through town armed with spray paint, no less.  
"Hey, Faye!" Taylor quipped when he saw her marching toward them.  
"Geesh, you're like a whale." Robin added jokingly.  
"I've come to collect my debt." Faye said, narrowing her eyes at the boys.  
"What debt?" Sam asked worriedly.  
"I saved your lives. You owe me."  
"Oh, so that's how it works, huh?" Taylor snorted.  
"I need you to do some digging for me." Faye glared at him.  
"Digging?" Robin and Sam exchanged looks. "Sounds fair enough."  
"You want us to do your gardening?" Taylor asked in disgust.  
"No, you dimwit. I need you to dig up a grave for me." Faye said, lowering her voice urgently.

For a moment, the three teenagers stared at her in absolute stunned silence. She waited for their reactions – to laugh at her, to call her crazy, to mock her.  
"Will we get in trouble for it?" Taylor surprised her with his curiosity.  
"No. You won't get caught, I'll make sure of it." Faye shook her head slowly.  
"All right. When?" Sam asked eagerly.  
It was Faye's turn to doubt the kids' sanity, despite her thankfulness that they were eager to help her.  
"Grab a shovel. I'll drive." Faye nodded at the dingy truck the Riley's eldest son had left behind when he'd left home for college the year before.

**Ooo888ooO**

Pulling up at the graveyard felt strange somehow. Faye kept expecting someone to jump out from behind one of the tombstones, flashing a torch at them and demanding to know what they were doing. They found Julian's tombstone after searching for five minutes between the newer graves.  
The digging took longer than Faye had anticipated, even with the three boys really getting into it. She kept looking around nervously, and every time Robin would nervously ask her if she sees someone coming.

It wasn't until the coffin was visible in the pale headlights of the truck, and Faye was certain she'd be able to lift the lid herself, when she shook the car keys to get the boys' attention.  
"Someone's coming! Come on, get out of there! Get in the car and _go_!" Faye hissed.  
None of them needed to be told twice. They were out of the grave so fast she barely saw them, the car keys gone from her hand. Faye watched them leap into the back of the truck, Taylor in front, and take off with a squeal of wheels. They were too panicked to look around and realize that the graveyard was still as deserted as when they'd first entered it.

Faye carefully lowered herself into the deep grave, and cursed under her breath.  
"I should have asked them for a flashlight," Faye mumbled unhappily.  
She drew a deep breath to keep herself calm – the tall uneven walls of the grave around her were intimidating. She had to feel for the lock on the side of the coffin with her hands, the little moonlight pooling into the grave not sufficient enough for her to see anything. She used one of the shovels to break the lock, and it took all her strength to wedge her fingers under the heavy lid. She paused. For the first time doubt and fear made their presence known.


	30. Blood

"Julian?" Faye whispered, then in a slightly louder voice. "Julian, are you in there?"  
There was no reply, and Faye pushed aside the cold realization that she was sitting in an open grave at night. What if Julian wasn't in there? What if he was still stuck in the Shadow World...then again, what if he _was_ in the coffin? But then why wasn't he answering...  
The silence of the graveyard was deafening and eerie.

_No what ifs, just open the damn thing and get this over with,_ Faye scolded herself. Manoeuvring herself to be able to lift the coffin lid in the compact space proved to be difficult, and she ended up with a few scratches. But then the lid became lighter somehow, as though her arms had gained inhuman strength from somewhere else, and she was able to squeeze past a wide enough gap to step into the coffin. She lifted the lid until it wouldn't go any further, jammed up against the wall of the grave.

Then her legs turned to spaghetti, and Faye sank down onto her knees, dropping her hands to her sides as she stared quietly.  
Julian was sitting at the other end of the coffin, pushing himself painfully slowly into a sitting position with his one hand braced against the silk interior. His other arm was lifted, elbow pressing against the lid to keep it from slamming shut on them.

Faye could do nothing but stare, every part of her body frozen. The initial relief of seeing him alive and wanting to spontaneously embrace him had died away quickly. It felt as though time had warped her back into the past for a disorienting moment. He was wearing navy blue jeans tailored to his long legs, and a long sleeved black shirt that showed off the perfectly toned muscles beneath. The very same clothes he'd worn months ago at the barbeque, when he and Jenny had happily shared the news of becoming parents to their family and friends around the dinner table; the same clothes he'd been wearing when he'd been caught in that death trap, and Faye had thought she would never see him again.

Though it didn't feel like months to her. It felt like years – like _centuries_. The memory of when she'd resurrected Julian once before came rushing back to her now; it was this that made her stay rooted to the spot, not daring to move any closer to him. He'd been disoriented _then_, he'd momentarily forgotten who she was – he'd been willing and planning to kill her. She didn't want to take the risk that this time it would be any different.

She watched him cautiously. His shoes were gone, his feet bare as they pressed against the floor of the coffin. His clothes were ripped in places, though Faye couldn't tell much in the darkness.  
His movements were slow, and he would pause every few seconds. It took him a minute to sit up properly. Faye watched him pull his legs up. One arm still held the lid; the other draped over his knee, if she could trust the dark shadows in the grave with her. Moonlight reflected off silvery hair in disarray, dark shadows streaking through its beauty in patches. He leaned back slowly and tilted his face upward.

Faye watched him tensely. His eyes were closed, his skin pale and luminous in the beams of the moon. He sat like that for a while. Faye thought he looked like one of the marble angels set about the graveyard, though his features were far too beautiful and defined to pass as a simple sculpture.  
He was drawing in long deep breaths of air. Then, finally, he lowered his head. Two beautiful blue flames burned through the dark grave at her, silver points dancing in the pupils. Hunter's eyes. Faye knew he could see her as clearly as though it was day, while she was half-blinded by the shadows.

"...Faye..." He breathed quietly.  
Her body physically slumped in relief, and Faye found herself moving toward him carefully.  
"Are you okay?" Faye asked softly. She was still too weary to touch him as she stopped a few inches from his feet.  
He let out a short, bitter, breathy chuckle, and swallowed hard. His reaction wasn't what she'd expected, and fear flared to life in her.  
"I'm here, aren't I?" His voice was unusually subdued, and Faye had to lean closer to catch his words.  
Julian hung his head, and lifted his hand to his face. He paused for a moment, shoulders turning rigid. He looked up slowly and lifted his hand away.  
They both stared at the palm of his hand in the dim moonlight, stunned. Faye slowly reached her fingers toward it, and frowned in irritation when Julian closed his hand in a fist and dropped it to his side. She grabbed his hand unceremoniously and firmly held it back up to the moonlight, straining her eyes in disbelief.

"Is that... _blood_?" Faye gasped, uncertainly touching the dark stain in his palm. Her fingertips came back dark, and she dropped his hand. Stumped, she sat back and stared at him. It was then the cold realization hit; the shadows across his face and hair weren't shadows at all. It was blood – and he was coated in it.  
"We need to get you to..." Faye started, pulling herself up.  
"No..." Julian mumbled, and Faye glared at him in the dark.  
"To a _hospital_. Give me your hand." Faye ordered.  
Julian didn't move.  
"Damn it!" Faye cursed, bending to grab hold of his wrist, and tugging at his arm. "Get up!"  
"Just give me a minute." Julian shot back angrily, and Faye dropped his hand furiously.  
She stepped aside as he slowly hauled himself to his feet. She didn't offer him any more help, knowing that he wouldn't accept it, and stood watching him as frustration and worry flooded her.

It was then she heard the sound of an engine cutting through the stillness. Faye tried to pull herself up far enough to peek over the side of the grave, and sure enough the headlights of a car shone through the night – heading right toward them. Her fingers ached, and Faye lowered herself carefully back onto the coffin. She glanced at Julian, and nearly burst into tears when she saw him leaning weakly against the uneven wall. Weakness was something she'd never encountered in Julian before, and it was frightening because she didn't know what to do. She imagined the feeling would be similar to a kid seeing their superhero curled into a ball and crying; weak and defeated.

"Julian..." Faye said, reaching a hand toward him. She stopped when a familiar voice called her name. Relief flooded her, despite the fury and disbelief evident in that voice.  
"_Faye!_" Tom was as angry as she'd ever heard him, but her response to his rage was the complete opposite.  
"Tom! _Tom, _we're in here! Get help!" Faye cried.  
A second later two faces loomed far above her, peering wearily into the grave. She barely recognized Tom or Michael's faces, they looked like strangers to her now. She turned to glance at Julian again, then looked up at them frantically. "Get us out!"

Tom stooped down and helped pull her out. Faye watched Michael grab hold of Julian's hands and pull him out at the same time. Then they were out on the cool damp grass, the grave a dark pit behind them. Faye turned just as Julian collapsed onto the ground, and then she was next to him, shaking his shoulders lightly.  
"Julian!" Faye snapped, then turned to glare at Tom and Michael when they suddenly appeared beside her.  
They hauled Julian to his feet – Faye couldn't tell whether he was conscious or not - and half carried him toward the car.

Faye still couldn't recall getting in the backseat with Julian, or the drive to the hospital. It was all a big blank to her, because her brain seemed to freeze in shock when they rushed Julian into the hospital, and the sharp fluorescent lights illuminated exactly how severe his injuries really were. She hadn't been able to see it in the dark, but now she recoiled at the dark stains on his jeans, and the equally dark bruises marring the once flawless skin of his arms.

He was whisked away by doctors and nurses so fast, Faye barely had any chance to react. She stood staring at the doors where they disappeared through, immobilized by the possibility that he wasn't going to make it. Tears burned close behind her eyes, and breathing made her chest want to close in on itself. There was a thick haze of dread and incredulity pulled across her, and when Tom led her to one of the waiting rooms, she felt as though she was walking on air. Moving through a dream. No, a nightmare. Everything lost its solidity around her. She could feel the padded metal chair beneath her, her feet firmly planted on the linoleum floor, the heater nearby softly rumbling through the room; but none of it felt real. She kept expecting things to disappear and fade.

Faye didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, staring with blind eyes and listening with deaf ears as Tom and Michael talked in quiet tones. She must have zoned out somehow, because when she looked up again, Jenny was there with Zach and Dee, talking along with Tom and Michael in the same quiet, worried tones. She was barely aware when Tom shook her gently, eyes radiating concern.  
"Faye, did you hear what I said? If you're not feeling well, I can get one of the doctors to check on you."  
Faye shook her head dumbly, and wrapped her arms around herself. Her gaze darted past him and fixed on a doctor that had stepped through the doors where Julian had been taken before. He had a clipboard in his hand, which he shifted underneath his arm when he looked up toward them.

Faye rose to her feet when the doctor approached them.  
"I'm Dr. Monroe. You _are_ the ones who brought that young man in earlier..." The doctor trailed off when Faye nodded vigorously.  
"Is he going to be okay?" Faye asked, frowning softly.

"His injuries were quite extensive. He's suffered a serious concussion not too long ago, and he's got a severe joint dislocation in one leg where some of the muscles had been torn." Dr Monroe explained as Jenny and the others joined Faye's side. "We've also done some X-rays on him, which is what I need to speak to you about. Does any of you have note of authority..."  
"Yes, yes, I do. Why, what did you find?" Faye interrupted impatiently.  
"He has several broken ribs, which has caused bleeding around his lungs. We'll need to operate – both to stop the bleeding, and to mend the dislocated joint, though we will do the latter at another time once he's stabilized." Dr Monroe didn't seem flustered by Faye's curtness.

"Okay. Okay, but will we be able to see him after the operation?" Faye asked.  
"Of course, if the operation doesn't bring any complications."  
"Yeah? What are his chances of a full recovery?" Faye asked nervously, not wanting to ask the real question plaguing her.  
"Depending on how the operation goes, there should be no reason why he won't make a full recovery. It might take a while – six to eight weeks at the most. I'll send one of my nurses to bring you the paperwork to fill out."  
"Okay." Faye said weakly.  
"The operation might take a couple of hours, at most."  
"Okay." Faye said again.

She watched the doctor retreat behind the doors, restraining herself from following him. Faye declined to eat anything when Tom offered her, and after she finished filling out the paperwork – she didn't have all that much to fill out – her eyes were locked on the clock on the wall.

Two and a half hours later, Dr Monroe reappeared. Faye shot out of her seat before anyone else even noticed him.  
"The operation was successful, but he's lost quite a considerable amount of blood due to the trauma he sustained, and he lost some blood during the surgery. We're giving him a blood transfusion right now. He is awake, still a bit disoriented and anaemic from the surgery, but if you want you could go see him. Only for a short while – he needs a lot of rest to recuperate ." Dr Monroe explained in a pleasant monotonous voice.

"Lead the way," Jenny said with a relieved smile. Faye glanced at her, startled, and then they were following the white coat down long winding corridors.  
Jenny went into the room Dr Monroe indicated, Faye followed close behind. She couldn't bring herself to look at the figure lying on the hospital bed. Her eyes remained fixed on the IV's filled with rich crimson instead.

"Oh, Julian!" Jenny half-sobbed in a strained voice.  
"Jenny," her name was a sigh of contentment from his lips, and then Jenny's soft sobs filled the room.  
Faye stood uncertainly at the foot of the bed, staring at the equipment around the bed, looking everywhere but at Jenny or Julian. Uncertainty became unease, and Faye cleared her throat lightly. "I'll give you guys some time alone." Faye said; her excuse to flee the beeping machinery , and the unsettling reality of where they were and why.

Had she been told a year ago that Julian would end up in a hospital, she would have laughed herself to a pulp. But her confidence that he was just as strong and indestructible as he'd always been, now seemed to be nothing more than ignorance. He was as fragile as she was; he could get hurt, he could bleed, too – he could die. Human attributes.  
The shadow man she'd created centuries ago was no longer immortal, and Faye admitted she'd known deep down that things would be very different once she resurrected him. He was more human than she'd have liked to believe.

**Ooo888ooO**

**A/N**_**: Well, that's it until I get a couple of reviews. There's one or two more chapters left, but I'm not posting until I get some feedback from my readers (I know you're reading, I can see the hits I get).**_


	31. Lucky

_**A/N: Inspired by the song 'Burrito' by Seether – the best rockers ever!!!The only bloody talent from that damned country anyway (Charlize Theron doesn't count, I think she sucks):**_

I try to hide myself,  
Give this to someone else.  
My hands are stained with scum,  
Wish I could wash it away.  
I can't believe in yesterday,  
I can't just stand by and watch you  
Save yourself as you fall from grace,  
When you come around, I won't be your sympathy.  
The worst is over now,  
You said it anyhow,  
My life in monochrome,  
Wish I could regain control.  
You keep taking, taking away,  
I keep faking, faking, fake...

_**Ooo888ooO**_

Faye tugged her jacket closer around herself, glancing irately at the bland hospital walls and nurses. Tom was on her side, his hand resting lightly on her back as he steered her down the corridor. Summer was juggling Sammy and a bouquet of 'get well soon' balloons in her arms, and Audrey was chiding at Maxine to slow down as the child skipped ahead of the adults, pausing uncertainly every now and then to glance at them over her shoulder.

Two weeks had passed since Julian had been admitted to the hospital; for a full fourteen days Faye had successfully avoided coming back here. She feigned interest when Tom would pass on the news to her about the slow progress Julian was making, and Faye put on an award winning act of nothing being wrong when Jenny stopped by a couple of days ago to see if Faye would like to go visit him in hospital. "Sure, Jenny – I've just been a bit busy getting the nursery into order, and making sure I'm totally set for the baby. You know, it's only another week and a half before the baby's supposed to arrive, and they say you can go into labour two weeks prior or after the estimated due date..." Faye had casually veered away from the subject of Julian, and no one had been any wiser.

_No one except Julian, of course_, Faye thought, and another wave of bitterness crashed over her. He was indisputably the only one aware she was avoiding him. And if it hadn't been for Faye thinking she'd gone into early labour that morning, rushing to the hospital in a panic only to be told it was a false alarm, she wouldn't be in the awkward situation she was in now. They'd bumped into Summer on their way out, and Tom had insisted they pop in to see how Julian was doing.  
"It's common courtesy. I'm sure it would upset him and Jenny, knowing that we were here and didn't bother to drop in and say a quick hi." Tom had answered when Faye objected that she didn't want to disturb Julian's recovery time.

There was nothing left to do but deal with the situation. Faye didn't want questions aimed at her about why she was avoiding Julian again, because this time the answers were too clear and certain.  
She pursed her lips and sighed heavily when they stepped through a door.  
It was a private room, with a small cubicle bathroom in one corner, a large window, and a single bed. A silent game of hockey was screening in greyscale on the small television mounted high against the wall.

Summer put Sammy down as she embraced Jenny, and Audrey stood in line to say hi. Maxine darted forward and climbed onto a chair beside the bed, quipping excitedly. Faye hung back from the others, leaning against the wall with her hands stuck into the pockets of her jacket as she took in all the gifts decorating the room; bouquets of flowers, get well cards, another bundle of 'get well soon' balloons in a corner.

"...looking much better. What did the doctors say?" Tom was asking.  
"Dr Monroe said he's really lucky we brought him in when we did." Jenny responded excitedly.  
"They're looking to discharge me by the end of the week." Julian's voice was like a hot knife cutting through Faye, and her eyes darted to him reluctantly.  
"With about a dozen different pills for pain relief, and he has to wear this _thing_ around his chest to keep his ribs in place. It's supposed to make moving and breathing less painful, I think they said." Jenny added.  
Faye was watching Julian intently as Jenny's words filled her with an odd hollowness. He _did_ look better. He was sitting up, hair as pure white as it had always been and dazzling in the sunlight washing through the window. He had a soft grey hoodie on, his legs stretched out comfortably beneath the pale blue and cream hospital covers. It was the same Julian she'd known forever, yet she couldn't shake off the fact that she saw him differently now.

Sympathy rolled through her when Julian managed a smile for Jenny, pain underlying his lips and flickering through the deep blue of his eyes. Faye stiffened, and reflexively shifted her gaze from Julian to glare at the boring brown carpet.  
_Sympathy_. Faye couldn't recall a time she'd ever felt sorry for Julian. It was wrong and bizarre to feel anything like that toward him. But she knew why she felt sympathetic toward him, and with the thought came the sharp searing fire of immense guilt.

"That's got to be good, if they think you're well enough to go home," Tom was saying.  
"I'm going to ask my mom to come over and help around the house, so I can focus on nothing but Julian." Jenny said.  
"If you need a hand with anything, just give us a shout, Jenny," Audrey said.  
"Yes! We'll be more than happy to come help you out." Summer agreed.

"Thanks you guys," Jenny said sincerely. "But Julian actually suggested that if I need a break, Faye could always hang around the villa and keep an eye on him."  
"Oh." Audrey said.  
"Okay." Summer echoed, surprised.  
"He says a nurse wouldn't know what she's doing." Jenny added.  
"I said I don't trust that a nurse would know what to do in certain circumstances." Julian corrected lightly. "If you're up to it, that is. I know you're a bit preoccupied." This last was directed at Faye.

Everyone was looking at her. Faye could feel their eyes burning into her skin, and wished the earth would swallow her right then and there.  
"Yeah, I might be a bit busy." Faye said, miming his light tone. She looked away from the carpet and down at her sneakers, hanging her head to hide her expression from the others.  
"Well, it's nothing to worry about if you don't have the time." Julian said, and Faye felt the guilt increase a fraction. She knew Julian didn't accept help – period - and now that he was actually asking her for it, she was declining his request. _Way to make me feel like shit, thanks_, Faye thought morbidly. But of course, she deserved to feel this way – all this was her fault after all. She was to blame, in the end.

"I've been worse off before." Julian added.  
Faye bit her lip hard. She knew what he was referring to, and he was right. Julian _had_ seen worse in the past – she would never forget the gory mess he was when his elders had ripped out the silvery wings she'd originally created him with. But that had been in the Shadow World, when Julian had still been very young, his power still raw and untamed, his strength and energy morphine to any pain inflicted upon him.  
"Things are different now." Faye said, her tone hardening.  
"They've been different for a while." Julian amended.

There was a moment of tentative silence before Summer spoke.  
"Were you really on the Titanic and the Olympic, like Faye said you were?"  
A heartbeat of silence, and then Julian's puzzled voice filled the room. "You've lost me."  
"When... Gahiji was pretending to be you," Jenny hesitated before pronouncing the name with bitter distaste, " and we were talking about going on the cruise liner, Faye said that you guys were on the Titanic and the Olympic before. So it was nothing new to either of you."  
"Uh-huh," Julian said slowly, and Faye let out a breath when she felt his eyes on her. "_We_ were, were we?"  
"I was testing him." Faye said curtly. "He didn't know as much as he was letting on."  
"You needed to convince yourself that he wasn't me?"  
"Sort of." Faye shrugged.  
"I _was_ going to ask what it was like, and how much different it was on the cruiser... but if it wasn't true..." Summer said uncertainly.  
"I _was_ on the Titanic," Julian said, amused. "But Faye swore she would cut my name out the stave of life if I dragged her with me. She's afraid of water."  
"You're afraid of _water_?" Maxine asked in a shocked and confused childish voice. "But it can't even hurt you!"  
"I'm afraid of the ocean," Faye said, sending a sharp look at the little girl. "Now, if we're done discussing my fears, it's nearly lunch time and I'm hungry."

Tom sighed heavily. "You want to go now?"  
"I'd _love_ to." Faye retorted.  
"Before you go," Julian's voice caught Faye in mid-stride toward the door. She stopped, but didn't turn toward him. "Have you had any luck?"  
Faye stood, frozen for a full minute, not trusting her voice as wave after wave of guilt crushed the breath from her lungs. Of all the things to bring up, it had to be the _one_ thing she hadn't been successful at.  
"Since when have I ever had _luck_, Julian." Faye's response was sharp and cold, and then she was strolling down the corridor, hot tears burning her eyes and wetting her cheeks.


	32. The Hunter revealed

Del Posto Italiano Restaurant was surprisingly empty at mid-day, and Faye had chosen one of the smaller booths in a corner for some relevant privacy. The spacious restaurant was filled with the sweet scent of the hot pink Bougainvillas, in Italian-style pots spread throughout the room, mixed with the savoury aromas of Italian cuisine. She poked at her Alfredo dish with her fork, avoiding Tom's expectant hazel eyes. She blinked tears from her own for the hundredth time. Since leaving the hospital, he hadn't pressed her about what had happened there. She knew he wanted to know. The unspoken question hung in the silence between them, ever so often broken by a soft sob as Faye fought to regain control of herself.

"Do you want me to order something else for you?" Tom asked lightly after a while.  
Faye glanced up at him briefly, noticed his empty plate and half-empty glass, then cast her eyes down to her lap again. _Okay, Faye, you might as well fess up. You can't keep everything bottled up forever_, a faint voice scolded her from the back of her mind. But as soon as she decided to talk, she found the words wouldn't come.  
She looked up at Tom uncertainly, fidgeting nervously with the corner of her serviette. It felt like she was about to sentence herself to damnation. Tom would be repulsed by her, and he would reject her, and she would be alone. Literally. Faye couldn't count on Julian still being there because it was unfair on her behalf to expect that of him, after everything she'd put him through. The matter that Tom and Julian weren't the best of friends was irrelevant; Tom's human nature would be to cast judgement on her, however unintentional.

Faye took a breath. "I haven't found the baby yet."  
There was a long moment of silence that forced Faye to look across the table at Tom.  
"That's why you're crying?" Tom found his voice, his expression screaming out his confusion.  
"It's my fault that the baby was adopted in the first place. I should have kept a closer eye on Jenny when the baby was born... I should have tried harder to convince her _not_ to have adoption even as an option while she was still pregnant. This could have been prevented if I acted in time." Faye blurted out, and absently wiped at the fresh flood of tears that blinded her.

"Have you talked to Jenny about this?" Tom asked.  
"No. Why?" Faye asked with a sniff.  
"Well... she just seems really at peace with the decision she made. Maybe they don't _want_ to find the baby, Faye..."  
"What the hell do you think Julian was talking about when he asked if I've had any luck, Tom?" Faye snapped.  
Tom fell silent, and Faye let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Tom. I just... I don't know how to fix things anymore. It's like everything I touch turns to..."  
"I'll help you track down the baby, Faye." Tom cut her off, and she blinked dumbly at him. "I've never had to try find someone before, but I'm sure there has to be a way. At least, where adoption is involved. There has to be a clue left behind, or something that will lead us in the right direction."

"Are you serious? You'll help me?" Faye nearly sobbed.  
"Yes, of course I'll help you. Now dry your tears, and eat your food. I thought you were starving." Tom said lightly.  
Faye obeyed, wiping at her tears one last time. She paused suddenly, staring down at her food for a full minute before her expression contorted into a mixture of pain and panic. Her breath hitched in as she reached across the table for Tom's hand, at the same time rising to her feet.  
"Oh... hospital, hospital, hospital..." was the only words Faye could manage.

**Ooo888ooO**

_...5 weeks later..._

Tom was seated on the couch in the lounge, his mother beside him cradling a small sleeping bundle in the crook of her arm, when Faye appeared from the bedroom. Her gaze shifted from a zombie-like Tom, to rest on the glowing warm smile on her mother in-law's face.  
After having sleepless nights ever since coming home, Faye had finally flipped out on Tom three days ago when he made an off-beat remark about dust collecting on the mahogany furniture. The fact that their baby had a serious case of colic was working on Faye's patience and stamina, and when Tom made that comment, Faye told him he was on night duty until he was on his knees and begging her for forgiveness and swearing to take charge of the household until the baby slept through.

The past three nights of sleep had been as blissful for Faye as they'd been exhausting and miserable for Tom. She'd been waiting for him to call in some backup, so she wasn't surprised to see his mother in their penthouse. Faye hadn't felt as good as she did this morning since giving birth, and again she appreciated the value of fitful sleep. She'd been a monster without sufficient rest, and having the load taken from her shoulders for a little while had given her the boost she needed to find herself again. _To be human again_, Faye thought wryly to herself as she kissed the sleeping baby lightly on his forehead.

"I'll see you guys later." Faye whispered.  
"Huh...where are you going?" Tom mumbled tiredly.  
"Out. I won't be gone long."  
"Day time duty is yours." Tom grunted.  
"Yeah, I know. Like I said, I won't be gone long. Take care of my little angel." Faye chided softly, giving Tom a smack on his shoulder.

Then she was out the door before Tom could muster enough energy for another protest. Climbing into her slick black Thunderbird and pulling out of the parking lot, Faye felt a wave of contentment. It just felt good to be able to see the world again and register what she was seeing, instead of through a haze of fatigue. She felt like she could breathe again for the first time in weeks.

Faye turned on the radio as she steered in the familiar direction, turning the volume up and singing along. She got some funny looks from other motorists when she had to stop at the red lights, but it didn't bother her in the least as she looked right back and flashed them a brilliant smile. A slight frown spread across her forehead when she spotted another car behind her, flashing their headlights at her. She slowed down, uncertain, as the other car swerved out behind her and drove up to beside her, slowing to do the same speed as her.

Faye squinted at the occupants of the car, and snorted when a guy with a shaved head and blonde goatee hung halfway out the window.  
"Heya, hot stuff!" He called, and she could see he had a tongue ring.  
Faye replied with a somewhat nervous grin.  
"Wanna pull over?" He called again, laughing.  
Faye kept the smile on her face, but shook her head. "What do you want?"  
"Your number!"

The smile on her lips solidified. "Tell you what!" Faye called back, glancing at the road up ahead, before looking at him again. "If you can catch me, you can have my number!"  
"Man, she wants us to race her," Goatee turned to his friend behind the driver's seat.  
"You're on, baby!" The driver called back, straightening his muscular tattooed arms as he shifted his grip on the steering wheel.

Faye shook her head again, shifting in her seat as she calculated which route to take. She could take the next turn off onto the motorway. It would take her past the security complex, but she was sure there was another turn off just past that region. She could take that turn off, do a loop, and hit the motorway again. She would be sure to lose these guys with their little Nissan Sentra, and there was no reason not to have a little bit of fun while she was finally out and about.

Mind made up, Faye picked up her speed. The Nissan stayed right on her heels, all the way until they got onto the motorway. Judging from the lack of traffic, Faye knew it would be easier to shake them off her tail. Two minutes onto the highway, she put foot to metal and opened the full potential of her car. She was laughing as the Nissan tried to keep up, falling further and further behind. She took the turn off she'd decided on earlier, slowing her speed down as she got back onto the motorway. She honked as she saw the Nissan coming up ahead, and waved out her window as she sped right past them in the opposite direction. She was still smiling when she took the right turn off and pulled up to the painted gates of the security complex. She peered at the villas, and pushed the buzzer.

"Hello?" Jenny's voice came a minute later.  
"Hi, Jenny. Can I come in?" Faye asked.  
"Oh, Faye? Sure, I'll open up for you." Jenny sounded baffled.  
The gates started to slide open in front of her, and Faye's smile wavered into nothingness as nerves kicked in. She drove slowly into the complex and pulled up in front of the familiar villa. Jenny was standing on the patch of green lawn in the front, walking toward their garage with a glass of juice in each hand.

Faye cut the engine and got out of her car when Jenny paused and turned to look at her expectantly.  
"Hey, how are you?" Faye asked, eyes scanning the villa's open windows as she crossed the short distance to Jenny.  
"I'm good thanks, and you?" Jenny asked, smiling.  
"I'm all right." Faye shrugged, pocketing her keys nervously. It wasn't until she was standing right beside Jenny, that she noticed the garage door was open.

"Julian said you were going to stop by." Jenny said, and held one of the glasses to Faye. "I thought you might want to have some privacy when you talk, so I got you something to drink beforehand."  
"Oh. Thanks." Faye accepted the glass, then gave Jenny a funny look. "Wait, he knew I was coming?"  
Jenny nodded, shrugged innocently, and grinned. "He's in the garage. I'll check on you guys later."

Faye dumbly took the other glass Jenny held to her, and watched her disappear into the villa. Turning toward the garage, Faye braced herself and gave herself a mental kick to move forward. She peeked her head inside, and stepped out, stunned, when she saw Julian wiping his hands on a dirty red rag. He glanced up at her briefly, and nodded briefly in acknowledgement.  
"Have fun?" He asked, studying the mass of engine, wires and pipes in the front of a metallic green car.

Faye's mind stalled for a second before she realized he must have heard her car's engine all the way from the motorway. She relaxed slightly.  
"As always." Faye replied, miming his casual tone.  
"Is that for me?" Julian asked, nodding at the extra glass in Faye's hand.  
"Obviously, I'm not that thirsty." Faye said and handed him the glass. She turned to the car, and rested one hand on her hip as she observed the scene again. "You're working on Jenny's car?"

"She's been complaining about the engine making funny noises." Julian shrugged, leaning casually against the wall.  
Faye studied Julian for a moment. He was wearing a sleeveless white tank top, stained with grease and oil, and faded baggy jeans. She looked from his muscular arms as he gulped down his drink, to the engine, and back.  
"So you decided to fix it for her?" Faye asked incredulously.  
Julian shrugged and nodded. "That's what guys are for. According to Audrey and Summer."  
"Let me guess, they brainwashed Jenny." Faye snorted.  
"Just as well they did," Julian sighed. "There's nothing wrong with the car. The battery water needed to be topped up, but that's about the jest of it. Turns out a rat somehow got stuck between the throttle body and valve covers." Julian smiled. "Hence the 'funny noises' she's been hearing."

"How the hell did it manage that?" Faye asked, surprised and disgusted.  
Julian lifted his shoulders in answer. "Like I said. It's good Jenny didn't try fix it herself. She would have had nightmares about rats and cars for weeks."  
"You think?" Faye arched her eyebrows.  
"I know. I used to be the master of nightmares, remember?" Julian said, amusement in his voice.  
"Yeah, but is Jenny really that gullible?" Faye asked, watching as Julian gracefully straightened up and closed the hood of the car.  
"All humans are."  
And there it was; the intro to the conversation Faye had been dreading and avoiding for centuries. Well, she'd come to face it and get it over with today, so she might as well throw herself right in there.

"You're saying I'm gullible?" Faye asked.  
"Not as much as the rest. But you are, in your own way." Julian paused and turned to look at her, icy blue eyes studying her carefully.  
"So..." Faye stepped away from him to lean against the opposite wall, looking right back at him cautiously. "Did someone tell you, or did you figure it out yourself?"  
Julian stood for a moment, staring at her, and Faye realized she'd caught him off guard. He'd clearly not been expecting that question.  
"A monkey could have put two and two together, Faye. It didn't take me long to see the truth. Hell, I'm probably the only one who knew for sure. Even Gahiji had his doubts." Julian said, appearing to have been insulted by her question.

"I didn't mean to undermine your intellect, Julian. I don't want to fight." Faye said sharply.  
"Of course you don't." Julian said mockingly.  
Faye bit down a nasty retort, and changed the subject instead. "If a monkey could put two and two together, then it doesn't say much about Gahiji's brainpower if he still had doubts."  
Julian smirked in response. "Let's just say you knew how to play my elders."  
"Yeah, well if you put a dry sponge in water, it's going to soak it up sooner or later." Faye shrugged, and said coldly to Julian's bland gaze. "_I_ was the sponge."  
"And an impressive sponge you turned out to be." Julian arched his eyebrows at the vehemence in her voice. "How did you wind up there?"

"You don't play games, do you? You just cut straight to the chase." Faye put her glass down and folded her arms across her chest, eyeing him sceptically.  
"Don't be funny. I never play games when it comes to you. You ought to know that by now." Julian said.  
Faye pursed her lips nervously. "Gahiji collected me as payment."  
"Payment? Were you a sacrifice?" Julian asked gallantly.  
Faye thought of her mother – stabbed to death by the person who was meant to protect her, killed to be offered as a sacrifice – and shuddered involuntarily. "No. I accidentally let him and a couple of the others lose. They were trapped."  
"With accidentally, you mean like what happened with Jenny and her grandfather?" Julian asked, intrigued.  
"No, with accidentally I mean I knocked over the damn box they were trapped in." Faye chewed her lip and waited for the inevitable question. She was surprised when it didn't come.  
"What did you trap them for? The usual?"  
Faye looked at him uncertainly. "What do you mean?"  
"I figured you had witchery in your roots somewhere. What did you want, more power?" Julian asked indifferently.

"Do you think I'd be stupid enough to actually summon _djinn_ to bargain for more _power_? You sound like Gahiji." Faye said angrily.  
"A friend of yours then. Your mother or sister, perhaps – someone you were keeping it for?"  
"Stop trying to guess, you're way off the mark, Julian." Faye glared at him as he slowly paced in front of her. "I told you how I ended up in the Shadow World. I answered your question, now let's move on to the next topic."  
Julian looked back at her thoughtfully, impervious to her temper. "Way off the mark, hmm?"  
"I'd prefer not to go into depth, okay? It wasn't a good time in my life, and I'd prefer not to dwell on it." Faye said angrily.  
"Fair enough." Julian nodded at her, then turned to face her fully. "I'm sure Gahiji is getting his own back."  
"Oh that, and then some." Faye said, looking up when a car slowly drove past.

"It's a pity I wasn't there to do it myself. I've thought of a few more _creative_ ways of getting rid of him. But you deserve to taste the sweet of revenge more than I do." Julian said, and their eyes met. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I saw enough to know what, where, who and when."  
Faye stared back at him, her mind soaring with a million questions until she realized the answer was clearly in his gaze. He must have stumbled onto Gahiji's little chamber-of-Faye's-horrific-memories.

"And?" Faye pressed. She didn't want to discuss _it_, she didn't even want to think of it, but part of her desperately needed to hear what _he_ made of it.  
"And?" Julian repeated, and shrugged his shoulders. "There's nothing to be said that you don't already know, Faye. It is what it is. There's nothing to be done but accept it."  
Faye stared at him – no, really stared. She could almost feel her eyes bulging in their caskets. It took her a second to find her voice.  
"Just like that?" She dared not hope; it was too simple, too easy.  
"Just like that." Julian repeated apathetically.

"If I'd known it would be like this, I would have told you ages ago myself." Faye said uncertainly.  
Julian grinned at her, sliding his hands into his pockets.  
"I have a feeling this will come back to bite me in the ass one day."  
"Oh, you can count on it." Julian's grinned deepened.  
"You evil little bastard." Faye accused, but she couldn't hide the relief she felt.  
"I'm just glad you made it easy for me. I was serious when I said I'd tie you down and interrogate you if need be." Julian added. "I deserve to have some closure, too, you know."  
"I know." Faye said sheepishly, looking down at her feet guiltily.

"How's your little one?" Julian asked, moving to put away a toolbox open on one of the nearby shelves.  
"Oh, perfect. He's got a good set of lungs on him, that's for sure." Faye said, rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably.  
"Giving you all your days already, it sounds like."  
"With some excess for any future siblings he might have." Faye sighed heavily.  
"I picked up the track from where you left off." Julian said, and Faye looked at him, puzzled. "In Florida."  
"Oh." Faye said, casting her gaze away from his as the guilt smacked afresh into her. "With the orphanages. Any luck?"  
"A little bit."

Faye looked up at his words, but she still couldn't meet his eyes.  
"I've been able to draft up a list of all the babies born in California on Christmas. With that said, it's a very long list. They don't specify hospitals or regions on the birth certificates, just plain old California, USA. I'm still in the process of sorting them into piles of those adopted and those not adopted." Julian shoved the toolbox back into the shelf and glanced at Faye. "It will take a while, but it's a start."

"That's really good news, Julian. If you need a hand, just give me a shout."  
"I got it under control, thanks."

Faye pursed her lips and tightened her arms around herself. "I'm sorry."  
"Look," Julian said, voice painted with pure impatience, and Faye looked up at him fearfully. "We can do this whole blaming thing back and forth to have someone accountable for what should have been prevented, but really I'd rather not waste my time dwelling on things that don't matter. And I'd suggest you follow my lead. The guilt will kill you if you keep this up."  
"So I should just accept it?"  
"I have. It shouldn't be that hard for you to do."  
"You should hate me for screwing up your life." Faye said, and tensed when he stopped to glare at her. "It's not fair on you... none of this should have happened, especially not to you."

"It's the law of the jungle. Life's not fair." Julian spread his fingers, taking slow steps toward her, his eyes burning flames. "Evil triumphs over good every day."  
"So, what are you saying?" Faye asked rigidly. "That you're evil?"  
His smile was unnerving, and it took all her willpower not to run as he slowly closed in on her.  
"By nature, everyone is evil." His smile deepened. He crossed the short distance between them so fast, Faye barely had time to catch her breath. His hands pressed against the wall on either side of her, and he hovered over her dangerously. His eyes pinned her into stillness.

"It's kill or be killed, and since that be the case, wouldn't you rather be the hunter instead of the hunted?" His voice was mesmerising, menacing even, but instinct told Faye she wasn't in any danger, despite his intimidating aura.  
"If I can be a hunter on the good side, hell why not?" Faye said.  
The dark aura lightened as his lips broke into a boyish smile, and he snorted as he straightened away from her. "You see it so easily. It took me a while to look at it that way. Being evil doesn't get you anywhere, even if you triumph. At least the good win for real, even if they have to fight for it. Evil can't take that victory away."

"Oh. You've finally smelled the coffee, have you?" Faye teased.  
"Actually, Jenny taught me that."  
"Good ol' Jenny." Faye rolled her eyes with a sigh.  
"I'll find our daughter. One day. There are no ifs or maybes - it's a given fact." Julian said.  
"Okay. You were a hunter once, you're good at tracking." Faye admitted.  
"I'm _still_." Julian eyed her, amused.  
"What? Good at tracking..."  
"A hunter, Faye." Julian shook his head at her, annoyed. "First and foremost. That's what you created me as, that is what I am and always will be."  
"Right, but you're human now..."  
"Right." Julian cut her off.  
Faye blinked at him, frowning hard. "You're _human_ now..."  
"Right. Exactly." Julian arched an eyebrow at her expectantly. He folded his arms across his chest, reflecting Faye's posture, and waited.

"You _are_ human. You had to go to hospital. It took you six odd weeks to heal. You _bled_, Julian. I've never seen you bleed, not like that. Not red, not human, not like normal people bleed." Faye said slowly.  
"Riiiight." Julian nodded slowly. He sighed impatiently, dropping his arms to his sides. "And what do the laws of physics say about me being human? What does logic tell you?"

"Well..." Faye paused, lost. "What are you implying? That you're _not_ human?"  
"I didn't say that." Julian frowned at her.  
"When I resurrected you, I did it here on Earth. Which means you're ... different. That you're different from what you used to be, and that you're more human." Faye said. "I mean, you were different from the get-go. I used my blood to carve you into existence in the first place, and I don't think the shadow men used blood at all when creating their kind..."  
"Your on the right track."  
Faye stopped. She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, watching him. The truth was teasing her, she knew she was going to get it right but part of her restrained from facing the reality of it.

"So, you're like a retired CIA agent. An ex-shadow man." Faye said, and narrowed her gaze when Julian burst into laughter.  
To say his laughter twitched the wrong nerve and pissed her off would be a complete lie. In fact, the sound had quite the opposite effect on her. It reminded her of Tiramisu; rich and creamy with a mild kick to it; a beautiful sound that left her craving for more. Faye didn't realize until then how much she'd missed spending time with him.  
"That's a pretty common way to refer to it, even for you." Julian said when he could catch his breath.  
Faye waited until his laughter completely died away before speaking. "A human with benefits, then."  
"Better." Julian smirked.  
"Not a human at all." Faye said softly. Julian's smirk faded and his eyes became piercing. "You can't change a person into a _djinn_, and so the opposite applies. You can't change a _djinn_ into a human. It can't be done." Faye had started to circle him slowly, looking him up and down with fresh eyes. "You've always been a shadow man, and you are one still, right now. You've just shifted into another shell."

Julian waited until she was in front of him before speaking. "So it seems we've both been hiding our obvious true natures from one another."  
"Hmm, which makes us even, I suppose. I've never seen you wear a human mask, though. It's new." Faye said curiously, reaching up to poke him playfully on the cheek.  
Julian caught her hand grimly. "Unfortunately this mask is permanent."  
"Interesting." Faye said, glaring at him when he playfully pretended to snap his teeth at her fingers trapped in his hand. "Does Jenny know?"

Julian dropped her hand. His expression told her the answer.  
"I won't tell her if you don't want me to. What the heart doesn't know, won't hurt it, right?" Faye said lightly.  
"It's better this way. I don't want her to be afraid of me." Julian added, this time the one to avoid her gaze.  
"I get it, Julian. I won't say a word about it. You can cut me up and eat me if I do. You have my permission." Faye said, and giggled at the cold look he gave her.  
"I'll pass, thanks." Julian sniffed in disgust, then broke into a smile. "It's good to see you again. We haven't hung out for far too long."  
"Auw, you missed me!" Faye put her hands to her heart, pretending to swoon. "I feel honoured!"  
"As you should." Julian said, giving her a scolding look.

Faye's laughter broke off when her mobile started to ring in her pocket. She pulled it out, glanced at it, then sighed heavily.  
"Hi, honey." She answered. "I'm on my way home right now, don't worry. Yeah, I'll see you in ten minutes tops, okay? Yeah, Tom. I'm on my way already." Faye hung up, and gave Julian an apologetic glance. "I've got to go, duty calls."  
Julian straightened and watched her retreating to her car.  
"There was something you wanted to ask me."  
"There was?" Faye paused, baffled.  
"It was on your mind when you got in your car to come here today."  
Faye blinked at him in momentary confusion, then deflated when memory returned like a lightning bolt. She'd wanted Julian to translate the last words her mother ever spoke to her. She'd resolved to do that, long ago when Gahiji had put her back in the horrific moment when her mother died. The words were still as gibberish to her now as they were when her mother had uttered them, despite it once having been her native tongue.

Julian was slowly walking toward her even as she repeated the words burned into her memory.  
"Nutwon eivai yepoc luwn, yaukoc evac, ausnon naji eivai ernekeia oxi unown o kasevac. Edeic nopte ekei evac nuepa." She said the words haltingly, emphasizing the right syllables and hoping she got the pronunciation right.  
Julian paused in front of her, and unveiled a folded slip of paper in his hand. Faye took it carefully, looking up at his face uncertainly.  
"Read it later. You need to get home."  
"Right, I know." Faye whirled back into action, climbing into her car and starting the engine. "We'll do this again soon, like... tomorrow or the weekend or something." Faye called out the window to him.  
"Bye, Faye." Julian said indifferently.  
"I'll call Jenny, or something! See you." Faye called again.  
Julian held his hand up in a silent wave as she reversed out the driveway. The drive home was over faster than she'd thought it would be. Her mind was dancing around how well things had gone down, and the familiar feeling of security and strength she used to have when it came down to her odd relationship with Julian was back.  
She pulled up into her garage, and paused before climbing out. She'd been wanting this more than anything, and now her wish would finally be granted; to know what her mother's last words to her had been. She unfolded the slip of paper gingerly, and felt a sense of achievement and confidence seep into her veins as she read, and reread, the note scribbled in fine handwriting.

"_Falling is part of life, sweet one. Rising to walk again is a grace not given to every person. You will get there one day."_

_**Ooox-The End-xooO**_


End file.
